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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. root — of a word
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. root — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. root — the cause
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. can — to be able to
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. craft — boats

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