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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hand — help
  5. bear — the animal
  6. march — music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. charge — a price
  9. march — the month
  10. hand — in cards
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bear — the animal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. march — the month
  24. arm — part of the body

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