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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 a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rock — a stone
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. root — the cause
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. nail — for a hammer

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