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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: mark · hide · track · craft · spring · root · hand · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. root — of a plant
  3. mark — a grade
  4. hand — help
  5. mark — a trace
  6. root — of a word
  7. spring — a coil
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. spring — the season
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chip — for betting
  16. craft — boats
  17. spring — of water
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. root — the cause
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. craft — a skill
  24. hide — to keep secret

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