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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cap — a lid
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. root — the cause
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. craft — boats
  15. band — a ring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. craft — a skill
  19. root — of a word
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cap — a hat
  24. craft — a handicraft

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