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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. craft — boats
  5. rest — what's left
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — a skill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bark — to shout
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — a break
  19. root — the cause
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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