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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: land · firm · scale · lash · root · swing · lean · arm

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. root — the cause
  3. firm — a company
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — a country
  8. swing — music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. land — ground
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. scale — size or range
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. root — of a plant
  16. firm — decided
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lean — thin
  19. land — to come down
  20. scale — in music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. firm — steady
  23. root — of a word
  24. swing — in golf

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