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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 124 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. root — the cause
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — of a word
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a plant
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — in cards
  15. squash — the sport
  16. track — a song
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bank — of a river
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. suit — clothes
  23. track — to keep track
  24. suit — to fit

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