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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 120 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: craft · ball · root · deal · cap · rest · board · firm

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ball — a great time
  3. root — the cause
  4. deal — to handle
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cap — a hat
  9. root — of a plant
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. craft — boats
  13. cap — of ice
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rest — what's left
  16. root — of a word
  17. firm — steady
  18. board — a committee
  19. firm — a company
  20. rest — a break
  21. board — to get on
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — a skill

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