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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. root — of a plant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. craft — a skill
  6. root — the cause
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ball — a great time
  9. land — ground
  10. root — of a word
  11. ball — a dance
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. face — part of the head
  15. land — a country
  16. toast — bread
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. face — to confront
  19. rest — a break
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. land — to come down
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. face — to point toward

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