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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: bat · root · arm · perch · staff · ground · cabinet · bore

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bore — to tire
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bat — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. staff — a stick
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. staff — employees
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. root — of a word
  24. bat — for baseball

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