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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. squash — to crush
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. court — of a king
  6. march — music
  7. lean — thin
  8. wound — an injury
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. march — the month
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. march — the month
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. root — the cause
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. root — of a word
  21. lean — to bend
  22. court — for sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. court — of law

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