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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. root — of a word
  3. land — ground
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. perch — the fish
  6. land — to come down
  7. root — the cause
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. land — a country
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. root — of a plant
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — for spectators

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