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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cell — in biology
  3. chip — for betting
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pit — in a race
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — certain
  14. root — the cause
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pit — a hole
  17. root — of a word
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. cell — a phone
  24. chip — to eat

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