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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. march — the month
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — tied together
  9. chest — a box
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — the month
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chest — of your body
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bound — certain
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a path
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. track — a song

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