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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. row — to paddle
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. face — part of the head
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. row — a line
  7. root — of a word
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. root — of a plant
  10. dip — to sink
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. craft — boats
  17. root — the cause
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. club — for dancing
  23. face — to point toward
  24. track — to keep track

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