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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. root — of a word
  4. staff — employees
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. field — a subject
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. field — for sport
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. staff — a stick
  16. field — farmland
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. craft — boats
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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