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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. rest — a break
  7. root — of a plant
  8. net — after costs
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — a stone
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hand — help
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rock — music
  16. root — of a word
  17. craft — boats
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. hand — in cards
  23. root — the cause
  24. sharp — clever

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