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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wake — a trail
  3. land — ground
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rock — music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. land — a country
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. land — to come down
  17. root — of a word
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. root — the cause
  22. mug — a cup
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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