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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. root — of a plant
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. firm — steady
  10. cap — a hat
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cap — a lid
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. rest — a break
  18. tube — a container
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. root — of a word
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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