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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: craft · bear · chip · root · fine · content · coach · bowl

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — boats
  8. content — the amount
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. content — happy
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. root — of a word
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fine — high quality
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. root — the cause
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fine — all right

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