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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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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: root · jam · lash · wave · rock · ground · craft · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. craft — boats
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. root — the cause
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ground — the earth
  21. root — of a word
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rock — music
  24. lash — to lash out

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