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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. roll — a list
  4. tube — the underground
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. board — to get on
  10. key — the most important part
  11. root — the cause
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — a container
  14. club — for golf
  15. key — for a lock
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. root — of a word
  19. club — a group
  20. board — a committee
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. key — in music
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. arm — a part of something

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