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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. spell — magic
  3. stock — goods
  4. face — to confront
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. saw — the tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. current — of water
  9. date — the fruit
  10. root — the cause
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stock — shares
  14. craft — boats
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. craft — a skill
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spell — letters
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. root — of a word
  24. spell — a short time

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