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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. root — the cause
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bank — of a river
  10. net — for catching
  11. root — of a plant
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bank — for money
  15. root — of a word
  16. net — in sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ground — crushed
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — a tool
  24. net — after costs

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