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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 120 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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pit — in a race
  4. root — the cause
  5. craft — boats
  6. race — the arms race
  7. craft — a skill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — of a river
  10. clip — for paper
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. bank — for money
  14. root — of a word
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bank — for money
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. drill — army training
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. drill — the tool
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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