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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
468
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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stand — to bear
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. root — of a word
  6. cell — a phone
  7. root — the cause
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bound — obliged
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bound — certain
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bound — tied together
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — a weight
  24. arm — part of the body

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