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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · spell · field · squash · craft · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. field — farmland
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. toast — bread
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. field — a subject
  8. spell — a short time
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. craft — boats
  12. squash — to crush
  13. root — of a plant
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. field — for sport
  18. root — the cause

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