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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.

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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: leaves · craft · root · bear · plane · bank · kick · content

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. kick — in football
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. content — the amount
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bank — of a river
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bear — the animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. content — happy
  16. root — of a word
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. root — the cause
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. craft — a handicraft

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