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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — a company
  3. root — the cause
  4. game — a match
  5. capital — a city
  6. root — of a plant
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. firm — decided
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. present — there
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. game — wild animals
  13. firm — steady
  14. present — a gift
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. vault — a safe
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. capital — money
  22. root — of a word
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. craft — a handicraft

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