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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: key · fan · arm · root · lash · cap · row · cell

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. root — of a word
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. row — a line
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cell — in biology
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. root — the cause
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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