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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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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: cabinet · dip · root · plane · stick · race · craft · lie

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lie — to recline
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. root — of a word
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. race — humankind
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. race — a contest
  23. craft — a skill
  24. dip — a sauce

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