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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 120 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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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 · deal · cold · saw · bay · rest · craft · stem

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. craft — a skill
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. root — the cause
  5. cold — an illness
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stem — to come from
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cold — not warm
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. saw — the tool
  16. root — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rest — what's left
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. root — of a word
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. craft — boats
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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