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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · craft · rush · arm · chip · wave · mark · ball

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ball — a dance
  4. craft — boats
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. root — the cause
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. root — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. root — of a word
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wave — with your hand

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