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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. root — of a word
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. root — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — the cause
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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