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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fall — to drop
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fall — the season
  5. root — the cause
  6. craft — boats
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hand — help
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — a tin
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rash — a series
  16. bark — to shout
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fall — to drop
  19. can — a tin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rash — hasty
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. dip — a sauce

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