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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · ground · rule · root · arm · key · bound · swing

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. ground — a position
  3. swing — music
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bound — tied together
  8. root — of a plant
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — for a lock
  11. root — of a word
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. key — the most important part
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bound — certain
  16. swing — to play on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bound — obliged
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — in music

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