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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cap — of ice
  3. root — the cause
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cap — a hat
  10. drill — the tool
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cap — a lid
  15. swing — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. root — of a word
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bark — to shout
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. drill — army training
  24. craft — a skill

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