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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. cap — a hat
  4. root — of a word
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rock — a stone
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — the cause
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — of a plant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rock — music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. cap — a lid
  18. craft — a skill
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cap — of ice

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