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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: foot · root · rest · rock · pitch · file · swing · craft

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. root — of a plant
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rock — music
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. rest — a break
  12. file — a document
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. root — of a word
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. root — the cause
  20. craft — a skill
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — boats

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