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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: craft · chip · bass · wave · fine · root · mark · season

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. season — of the year
  3. bass — the fish
  4. craft — boats
  5. mark — a trace
  6. chip — for betting
  7. root — the cause
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. root — of a word
  14. bass — low music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. craft — a skill
  20. season — in sport
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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