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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. root — the cause
  6. wake — a trail
  7. root — of a word
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bound — tied together
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bass — low music
  18. foot — a measure
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — obliged
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bass — the fish

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