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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bank — for money
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lean — thin
  5. root — of a word
  6. board — to get on
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — the cause
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. lean — to bend
  14. craft — boats
  15. root — of a plant
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — a committee
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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