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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. root — the cause
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cell — a phone
  12. root — of a word
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rash — a series
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. tube — a container
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. arm — a part of something

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