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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. root — of a word
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. root — of a plant
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chip — to eat
  11. land — a country
  12. charge — in control
  13. chip — for betting
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. mark — a trace
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. charge — a price
  21. craft — boats
  22. root — the cause
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chip — in a computer

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