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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spell — a short time
  3. root — of a word
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spell — letters
  7. bore — to tire
  8. staff — a stick
  9. craft — a skill
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. branch — a division
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — boats
  19. root — the cause
  20. spell — magic
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. staff — employees
  24. cap — of ice

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