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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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. march — the month
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bank — of a river
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. march — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bank — for money
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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