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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. row — to paddle
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. root — the cause
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. row — a line
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. root — of a word
  12. bank — of a river
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bank — for money
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chair — a leader
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bank — for money
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. root — of a plant

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