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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: suit · ball · row · last · root · deal · craft · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. suit — in cards
  6. root — of a word
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ball — a dance
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — boats
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. root — the cause
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. craft — a skill
  21. last — finally
  22. root — of a plant
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. deal — to handle

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