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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 120 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: board · stand · root · arm · last · chip · file · object

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stand — to bear
  4. last — to go on
  5. root — the cause
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. file — a line of people
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. root — of a word
  11. board — to get on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. object — a thing
  14. last — finally
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. last — final
  19. object — to protest
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chip — to eat
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a document
  24. object — an aim

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