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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. can — a tin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pit — a hole
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. march — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pit — in a race
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. tear — to rip
  17. march — the month
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. tear — from crying

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