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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. key — the most important part
  3. capital — a city
  4. squash — to crush
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. key — in music
  8. craft — boats
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. craft — a skill
  11. saw — the tool
  12. squash — the sport
  13. capital — money
  14. rule — a law
  15. root — of a word
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rule — government
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. root — of a plant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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