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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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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 · ground · chest · cap · club · root · mug · key

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. ground — a position
  3. chest — a box
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cap — of ice
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mug — a face
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cap — a lid
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mug — to rob
  15. key — the most important part
  16. root — of a word
  17. club — a group
  18. key — for a lock
  19. club — for golf
  20. root — of a plant
  21. key — in music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mug — a cup

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