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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 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. craft — boats
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. march — the month
  22. cell — in biology
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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