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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: ground · spring · safe · leaves · craft · mouse · rash · root

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rash — a series
  3. craft — boats
  4. spring — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — of water
  7. root — of a plant
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ground — the earth
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. root — of a word
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. root — the cause
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ground — a position
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. spring — a coil
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rash — hasty
  24. leaves — to go away

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