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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — for digging
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rest — a break
  9. can — a tin
  10. march — the month
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rest — what's left

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