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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. march — the month
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. capital — a city
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stock — shares
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — money
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stock — goods
  16. march — music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. march — the month
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stand — to bear

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