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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. root — of a plant
  3. race — the arms race
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ground — a position
  9. race — humankind
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. march — the month
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a dance
  15. march — music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ground — the earth
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. march — the month
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ball — a great time
  24. race — a contest

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