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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. craft — boats
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. track — to keep track
  6. root — of a word
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bank — of a river
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. row — a line
  18. root — the cause
  19. drill — army training
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. track — a path
  22. drill — a practice
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. drill — the tool

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