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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 120 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: can · wound · club · craft · leaves · lean · root · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — thin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — to bend
  5. scale — size or range
  6. craft — boats
  7. scale — in music
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — a skill
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wound — an injury
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — an injury
  17. root — the cause
  18. club — a group
  19. root — of a word
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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