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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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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: pound · root · toast · hide · date · mark · craft · stand

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. craft — boats
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. root — the cause
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. root — of a plant
  22. date — the fruit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. toast — the most admired

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