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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.

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: craft · wake · foot · key · coach · deal · root · scale

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wake — a trail
  6. scale — in music
  7. key — for a lock
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. root — of a plant
  10. key — in music
  11. root — of a word
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. deal — to handle
  16. foot — a measure
  17. root — the cause
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. key — the most important part
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. scale — size or range

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