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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. land — a country
  3. root — the cause
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. land — ground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chest — of your body
  9. root — of a word
  10. dip — to sink
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. land — to come down
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wake — a trail
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — a box
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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