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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cap — a hat
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. cap — a lid
  7. can — a tin
  8. rule — government
  9. present — there
  10. rule — a law
  11. present — a gift
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. mug — a face
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. present — the time now
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cap — of ice

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