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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: rock · shower · bay · ground · fine · root · band · craft

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. root — the cause
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. craft — boats
  6. root — of a word
  7. shower — rain
  8. craft — a skill
  9. band — a ring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. band — a music group
  21. shower — to wash
  22. fine — all right
  23. rock — music
  24. band — a rubber band

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