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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. craft — a skill
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. craft — boats
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bank — for money
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pit — in a race
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. snap — to click
  24. cue — a signal

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