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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. root — of a plant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. root — the cause
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tear — to rip
  14. lean — thin
  15. root — of a word
  16. lean — to bend
  17. perch — the fish
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bank — for money
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bulb — for light

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