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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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Word bank
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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. root — the cause
  3. tear — from crying
  4. kid — child
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — of a word
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kid — to tease
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. root — of a plant
  19. craft — boats
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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