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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: arm · pit · ruler · saw · bore · root · bay · stand

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bore — to tire
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — in a race
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — to drill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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