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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. squash — the sport
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — a committee
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — a path
  13. squash — to crush
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. root — of a word
  16. band — a ring
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. craft — boats
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. band — a music group
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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