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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. object — an aim
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. object — a thing
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rock — a stone
  10. root — the cause
  11. stand — to bear
  12. root — of a word
  13. rock — music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. object — to protest
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. scale — in music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. root — of a plant
  24. scale — for weighing

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