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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. root — of a plant
  4. staff — a stick
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. file — a line of people
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — the cause
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. staff — employees
  12. file — a tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. root — of a word
  19. staff — employees
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. kick — in football
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. file — a document
  24. chip — in a computer

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