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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. firm — decided
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. root — of a plant
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — boats
  7. bass — the fish
  8. can — a tin
  9. firm — a company
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. row — a line
  14. bass — low music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. craft — a skill
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — the cause
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. firm — steady

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