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

Word bank: kid · arm · root · ruler · key · roll · leaves · game

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. game — a match
  4. key — in music
  5. kid — child
  6. root — of a word
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. root — the cause
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kid — to tease
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — the most important part
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — a list
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. key — for a lock

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