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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: rush · suit · craft · key · date · swing · mine · root

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. key — in music
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. swing — music
  6. root — the cause
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mine — for digging
  9. key — for a lock
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. suit — to fit
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — the most important part
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. craft — boats

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