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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: craft · sharp · row · fall · rest · coach · root · racket

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fall — to drop
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. root — of a plant
  6. row — to paddle
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fall — the season
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. craft — a skill
  13. sharp — clever
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rest — a break
  20. root — the cause
  21. row — a line
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. craft — boats
  24. fall — to drop

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