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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — of a plant
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lean — thin
  6. stock — goods
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. court — of law
  11. stock — shares
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rule — government
  17. lean — to bend
  18. court — for sport
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rule — a law
  22. court — of a king
  23. root — the cause
  24. stand — to bear

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