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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. root — of a word
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. ball — a dance
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. board — to get on
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — the fish
  16. board — a committee
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. root — the cause
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. craft — boats
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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