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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stock — shares
  5. bat — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — of a plant
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. root — of a word
  19. stock — goods
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. root — the cause
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. craft — boats

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