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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. can — a tin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. can — to be able to
  11. march — music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — to drill
  15. firm — a company
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — decided
  19. prune — to trim
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. hand — help
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. can — a tin

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