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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — a leader
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ball — a great time
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. root — of a plant
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. craft — boats
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — of a word
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. track — a path
  18. ball — a dance
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. prune — to trim
  21. root — the cause
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. chair — to sit on

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