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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mug — to rob
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mug — a face
  11. track — a path
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. can — to be able to
  15. track — to keep track
  16. spring — a coil
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — a song
  19. mug — a cup
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. root — of a plant
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — a tin

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