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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — to sink
  5. root — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. kick — in football
  8. bass — low music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bass — the fish
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. root — of a word
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. root — the cause

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