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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pit — a hole
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pit — in a race
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — the cause

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