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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: lean · wake · bowl · ball · foot · present · root · craft

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. present — a gift
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. root — the cause
  10. present — there
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ball — a great time
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wake — a trail
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. present — the time now
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lean — thin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ball — a dance

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