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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ground — the earth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. root — of a plant
  6. roll — a cake
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. roll — a list
  9. ground — crushed
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. root — of a word
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — the cause
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. ground — a position
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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