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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: squash · spring · root · temple · bore · craft · mug · row

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. spring — the season
  8. row — a line
  9. root — of a plant
  10. spring — of water
  11. squash — to crush
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. squash — the sport
  14. row — to paddle
  15. root — the cause
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. root — of a word
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — to rob
  24. row — a quarrel

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