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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 120 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bank — for money
  3. root — the cause
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. root — of a word
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. file — a document
  12. stand — to bear
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cell — a phone
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stand — on your feet

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