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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: shower · arm · coach · temple · squash · spring · root · lie

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. squash — to crush
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. spring — of water
  5. shower — rain
  6. root — of a word
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spring — a coil
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. root — the cause
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. spring — the season
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lie — to recline
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. lie — an untruth

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