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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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. roll — a cake
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. root — the cause
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. root — of a word
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. roll — a list
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rule — government

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