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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · firm · craft · spring · date · staff · chair · bass

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. root — of a plant
  3. firm — steady
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. chair — a leader
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. staff — employees
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — boats
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. firm — decided
  14. root — of a word
  15. date — the fruit
  16. spring — of water
  17. bass — low music
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. staff — a stick
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. root — the cause
  22. bass — the fish
  23. staff — employees
  24. spring — the season

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