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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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468
Word bank
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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. root — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. club — a group
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a word
  11. club — for dancing
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. court — of a king
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. root — the cause
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. club — for golf
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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