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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. chip — for betting
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. tear — from crying
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — of a plant
  17. tear — from crying
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cell — a phone
  21. tear — to rip
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — a tool

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