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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: arm · stem · charge · root · chest · racket · rule · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. chest — of your body
  3. root — the cause
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rule — government
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — in control
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. charge — electricity
  13. saw — the tool
  14. root — of a word
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. root — of a plant
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chest — a box
  21. charge — a price
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stem — to come from

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