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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. root — the cause
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. firm — steady
  8. cell — in biology
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. key — for a lock
  14. root — of a word
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. key — in music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. root — of a plant

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