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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. root — the cause
  8. pop — soda
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. root — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. root — of a word
  20. fall — the season
  21. pop — music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. chest — a box
  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