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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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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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rest — what's left
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. root — the cause
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cap — of ice
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. key — in music
  13. rest — a break
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rest — what's left
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cap — a hat
  20. key — for a lock
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ball — a great time
  23. key — the most important part
  24. foot — part of the 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