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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. roll — a cake
  4. root — the cause
  5. current — of water
  6. object — an aim
  7. root — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. last — to go on
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. current — electric
  13. object — to protest
  14. last — finally
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. fall — the season
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. roll — a list
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. last — final
  23. root — of a word
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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