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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. race — a contest
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. perch — the fish
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. game — a match
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. march — the month
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mate — a partner
  20. march — music
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bowl — a dish

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