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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — of a plant
  3. club — a group
  4. craft — a skill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. chip — to eat
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. vault — a safe
  14. root — the cause
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. club — for dancing
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. craft — boats
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. club — for golf
  24. root — of a word

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