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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. craft — a skill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — music
  8. craft — boats
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. march — the month
  13. tear — to rip
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. tear — from crying
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. root — of a word
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. tear — from crying
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. march — the month
  24. root — of a plant

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