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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. march — the month
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. march — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — the month
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fall — the season
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. toast — bread
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. craft — boats
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cabinet — ministers

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