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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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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: cap · bark · foot · root · temple · trunk · firm · arm

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. root — the cause
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. foot — a measure
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. root — of a word
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. firm — steady
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bark — to shout
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. trunk — of a car

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