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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. sharp — clever
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. spell — magic
  13. march — music
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — a short time
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. spell — letters
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. foot — a measure
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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