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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — of a river
  4. root — of a plant
  5. net — after costs
  6. stem — to come from
  7. root — the cause
  8. perch — the fish
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. net — for catching
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. prune — to trim
  19. net — in sport
  20. bank — for money
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — of a word
  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