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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. root — the cause
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. snap — to click
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. club — for golf
  20. pass — a permit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — for measuring

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