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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: root · straw · arm · club · fall · pass · pitcher · bore

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. root — of a plant
  5. club — a group
  6. root — of a word
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. root — the cause
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. club — for golf
  20. fall — the season
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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