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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · mug · scale · club · nail · present · craft · root

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. root — of a plant
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. root — of a word
  8. mug — a face
  9. root — the cause
  10. club — for golf
  11. mug — to rob
  12. craft — a skill
  13. club — for dancing
  14. present — the time now
  15. game — wild animals
  16. scale — size or range
  17. present — a gift
  18. game — a match
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. present — there
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mug — a cup
  23. club — a group
  24. nail — for a hammer

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