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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. branch — a division
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. row — a line
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stand — to bear
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — of a word
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bowl — a football final

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