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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. craft — boats
  7. bank — for money
  8. root — the cause
  9. club — for golf
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. track — to keep track
  15. root — of a plant
  16. track — a song
  17. club — a group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. track — a path
  21. pound — a weight
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. root — of a word

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