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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: land · root · band · craft · deal · wake · fine · wave

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. craft — boats
  3. land — ground
  4. land — to come down
  5. deal — to handle
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. root — of a word
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. craft — a skill
  12. root — of a plant
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. band — a ring
  17. root — the cause
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. band — a music group
  21. land — a country
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. deal — a big deal

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