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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: rock · straw · staff · coach · nail · root · craft · safe

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. staff — a stick
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. root — of a plant
  8. staff — employees
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. root — of a word
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. root — the cause
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — out of danger

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