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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. root — of a word
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. race — humankind
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. board — to get on
  9. race — the arms race
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. rule — a law
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. root — the cause
  20. rule — government
  21. race — a contest
  22. board — a committee
  23. track — to keep track
  24. temple — a place of worship

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