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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spell — a short time
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. season — of the year
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cap — a hat
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cap — of ice
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — in sport
  24. root — of a word

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