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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. march — the month
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. craft — boats
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. kid — to tease
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. march — the month
  24. jam — in traffic

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