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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · dip · mug · craft · object · swing · squash · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. craft — a skill
  3. kick — in football
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. root — of a word
  7. squash — to crush
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mug — to rob
  12. swing — in golf
  13. mug — a face
  14. object — an aim
  15. swing — to play on
  16. dip — to sink
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. craft — boats
  19. swing — music
  20. mug — a cup
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. squash — the sport

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