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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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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: leaves · fine · key · pitch · calf · root · row · craft

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. craft — boats
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — the most important part
  5. row — to paddle
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. pitch — completely
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. key — for a lock
  16. root — the cause
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. root — of a word
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fine — all right
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — high quality

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