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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. firm — steady
  3. tear — to rip
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tear — from crying
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — of a plant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. root — the cause
  17. plane — a tool
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. firm — decided
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — in geometry

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