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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. root — of a plant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chair — a leader
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. suit — clothes
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wax — to grow
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. root — the cause
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stand — to bear
  24. root — of a word

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