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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: swing · rule · track · lean · foot · root · arm · chip

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rule — a law
  4. track — a path
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. track — a song
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. root — of a word
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — to play on
  14. track — to keep track
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rule — government
  18. swing — music
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — to eat
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. swing — in golf
  24. root — of a plant

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