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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rule — government
  4. lie — to recline
  5. root — of a word
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rule — a law
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — in music
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. root — the cause
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. last — final
  21. key — for a lock
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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