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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fall — the season
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. file — a tool
  10. root — of a word
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. root — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rush — hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. root — the cause
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. file — a document

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