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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.

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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: chest · mark · foot · craft · root · prune · suit · shower

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — boats
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. root — of a word
  7. suit — to fit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. root — of a plant
  16. shower — rain
  17. root — the cause
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. foot — a measure
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mark — a trace
  22. shower — to wash
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chest — of your body

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