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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: mate · fall · arm · bat · mark · craft · root · dip

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. root — of a plant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. craft — boats
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fall — to drop
  24. dip — a sauce

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