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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. root — of a word
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. root — the cause
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mate — to breed
  11. chip — for betting
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mate — a friend
  16. chip — to eat
  17. perch — the fish
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mate — a partner

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