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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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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 · object · lash · row · foot · rush · root · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. object — an aim
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. craft — boats
  8. root — of a word
  9. bound — obliged
  10. foot — a measure
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. root — of a plant
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. object — a thing
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bound — tied together
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. object — to protest
  21. craft — a skill
  22. row — a line
  23. bound — certain
  24. root — the cause

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