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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. root — the cause
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rock — a stone
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bank — of a river
  11. root — of a word
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rock — music
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — boats
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rock — to move gently

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