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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. root — the cause
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. swing — music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. swing — in golf
  9. craft — boats
  10. branch — a division
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. craft — a skill
  13. root — of a word
  14. lean — thin
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. swing — to play on
  17. firm — steady
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bat — for baseball

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