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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ball — a great time
  5. root — of a plant
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. row — a line
  9. pound — a weight
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. root — of a word
  14. row — to paddle
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wake — a trail
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. vault — a safe
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. root — the cause

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