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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. root — of a plant
  4. scale — in music
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — decided
  7. root — of a word
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — steady
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bear — the animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bear — the animal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. root — the cause
  24. craft — boats

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