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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: plane · lean · root · ball · arm · bore · rock · mouse

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. root — of a word
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. root — the cause
  20. rock — music
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ball — a dance

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