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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — in a race
  5. root — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — shares
  13. rest — what's left
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — goods
  17. rest — a break
  18. root — of a word
  19. pit — a hole
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. root — the cause
  23. chair — a leader
  24. trunk — of a car

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