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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. root — of a plant
  5. craft — boats
  6. fall — the season
  7. rash — a series
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. staff — employees
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rash — hasty
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — a stick
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. root — the cause
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. staff — employees
  19. roll — a cake
  20. root — of a word
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fall — to drop
  24. roll — a list

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