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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: safe · march · root · staff · face · tear · craft · mate

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. march — the month
  4. root — of a plant
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to confront
  7. staff — employees
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — to rip
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mate — a friend
  15. tear — from crying
  16. staff — a stick
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. root — of a word
  19. tear — from crying
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. root — the cause
  24. face — part of the head

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