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

Word bank: bore · key · hide · arm · file · craft · root · cell

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. root — the cause
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. root — of a plant
  11. cell — in biology
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. key — for a lock
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — the most important part
  16. file — a document
  17. craft — a skill
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. root — of a word
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. key — in music
  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