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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — a measure
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — the cause
  6. mate — a partner
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. present — a gift
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mate — to breed
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. craft — boats
  14. mate — a friend
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. present — there
  18. board — a committee
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. swing — music
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. swing — in golf

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