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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rest — what's left
  4. root — of a plant
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stock — shares
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stock — goods
  14. ground — the earth
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. root — the cause
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ground — a position
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rest — a break
  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