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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. object — to protest
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rule — government
  16. root — the cause
  17. rule — a law
  18. craft — boats
  19. object — a thing
  20. board — a committee
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. object — an aim
  23. board — to get on
  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