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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cap — a hat
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spell — letters
  8. foot — a measure
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cap — of ice
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. spell — magic
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. march — music
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mark — a grade
  20. spell — a short time
  21. march — the month
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mark — a trace
  24. foot — part of the body

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