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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: stick · craft · club · rule · hide · bay · date · root

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — of a word
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. craft — a skill
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rule — a law
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — boats
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. club — for golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rule — government
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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