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

Word bank: rock · perch · root · date · craft · scale · kid · deal

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. deal — to handle
  5. scale — size or range
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kid — to tease
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. perch — the fish
  11. kid — child
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. root — of a word
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. root — the cause
  18. craft — boats
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. scale — in music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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