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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. march — music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. march — the month
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wound — an injury
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. march — the month
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wound — an injury
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lean — thin

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