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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: club · root · hide · stock · bulb · craft · key · cap

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. craft — a skill
  3. key — in music
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. cap — a hat
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cap — a lid
  10. craft — boats
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. key — the most important part
  17. root — the cause
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cap — of ice
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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