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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cue — for pool
  3. root — the cause
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bat — the animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. root — of a word
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bank — for money
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — a hint
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cue — a signal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bat — in an idiom

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