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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. root — the cause
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cell — in biology
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. march — the month
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. root — of a plant
  22. march — music
  23. root — of a word
  24. hide — to keep secret

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