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

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. root — the cause
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. swing — music
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. last — to go on
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — of a word
  12. chip — to eat
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. last — finally
  22. last — final
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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