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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. root — the cause
  4. row — to paddle
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. spring — a coil
  8. chip — for betting
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cap — of ice
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fine — all right
  15. vault — a safe
  16. spring — the season
  17. root — of a word
  18. spring — of water
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cap — a hat
  23. root — of a plant
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com