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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cell — in biology
  4. foot — a measure
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — the month
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. race — the arms race
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. march — the month
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — humankind
  14. pitch — completely
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cell — a phone
  20. race — a contest
  21. march — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. can — to be able to

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