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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rest — a break
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bore — to tire
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — a container
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bore — to drill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. root — the cause
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rest — what's left

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