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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. march — the month
  4. drill — army training
  5. mug — a face
  6. object — an aim
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mug — to rob
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. branch — a division
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. object — to protest
  17. staff — a stick
  18. march — music
  19. object — a thing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. march — the month
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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