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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.

Make a worksheet

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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. can — a tin
  5. root — the cause
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — to be able to
  11. object — to protest
  12. root — of a word
  13. staff — a stick
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. root — of a plant
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. object — a thing
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. object — an aim
  23. coach — a trainer
  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