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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. root — of a word
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pit — a hole
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. root — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — to come from
  22. root — the cause
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. foot — a measure

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