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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. fine — all right
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — for catching
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. root — the cause
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — in sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. hide — to keep secret

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