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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rush · firm · cabinet · bound · root · mine · arm · fine

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bound — obliged
  7. root — of a word
  8. fine — high quality
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. root — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. bound — certain
  13. firm — decided
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. root — the cause
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fine — all right
  22. bound — tied together
  23. firm — a company
  24. rush — hurry

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