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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: bound · deal · cabinet · spring · craft · cell · sharp · root

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — a skill
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. root — of a word
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — tied together
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cell — a phone
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bound — certain
  20. root — the cause
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. craft — boats
  23. root — of a plant
  24. spring — a coil

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