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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. root — of a plant
  7. ball — a great time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — high quality
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fine — all right
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ball — a dance
  24. chip — to eat

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