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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. shower — to wash
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — a thing
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. craft — boats
  20. capital — money
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. shower — rain

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