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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: net · pit · rock · craft · toast · perch · root · spell

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. root — of a plant
  4. craft — boats
  5. root — the cause
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rock — a stone
  8. net — after costs
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. root — of a word
  16. spell — magic
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — in a race
  19. perch — the fish
  20. spell — letters
  21. net — for catching
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — music
  24. net — in 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