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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.

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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. root — of a word
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. root — the cause
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. staff — employees
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — help
  12. lean — thin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. lean — to bend
  23. hand — part of the body
  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