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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: arm · root · can · bay · lean · straw · squash · land

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. root — of a plant
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. lean — thin
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. land — to come down
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. land — a country
  23. can — to be able to
  24. land — ground

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