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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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. board — to get on
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. root — of a plant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. craft — boats
  8. bank — for money
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bank — for money
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. present — the time now
  13. craft — a skill
  14. present — a gift
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — all right
  17. root — the cause
  18. fine — high quality
  19. present — there
  20. board — a committee
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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