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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: dip · craft · pop · mark · toast · lean · hand · root

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. root — the cause
  9. hand — help
  10. root — of a word
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lean — thin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pop — music
  22. dip — to sink
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mark — a trace

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