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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: nail · cell · craft · sharp · ground · branch · root · mouse

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. root — of a plant
  3. craft — boats
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. craft — a skill
  6. root — of a word
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. ground — a position
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. root — the cause
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cell — in biology
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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