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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. root — the cause
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rock — a stone
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. root — of a word
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wind — moving air
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wind — moving air
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. root — of a plant
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. row — a line
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — all right
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rock — music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. row — a quarrel

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