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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tube — the underground
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. root — of a plant
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tube — a container
  8. march — the month
  9. charge — in control
  10. march — music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. root — of a word
  16. march — the month
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. root — the cause
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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