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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: bark · arm · pit · march · root · track · craft · foot

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — the cause
  6. march — the month
  7. track — a path
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. root — of a word
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bark — to shout
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pit — a hole
  17. craft — a skill
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. march — music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pit — in a race
  24. arm — part of the body

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