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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — of a plant
  6. chest — of your body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — decided
  9. dip — to sink
  10. root — the cause
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bank — for money
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — steady
  18. bank — of a river
  19. spring — a coil
  20. chest — a box
  21. root — of a word
  22. firm — a company
  23. chest — of your body
  24. suit — in cards

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