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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. key — in music
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. object — an aim
  6. root — the cause
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bark — to shout
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. root — of a plant
  21. object — a thing
  22. craft — a skill
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — to protest

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