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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. root — of a word
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. spring — the season
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — the cause
  21. cue — a signal
  22. spring — of water
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. rule — a law

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