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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. key — in music
  4. tube — a container
  5. march — music
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. face — to point toward
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rash — a series
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to confront
  12. rash — hasty
  13. key — the most important part
  14. tube — the underground
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. march — the month
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. key — for a lock
  20. face — part of the head
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. march — the month

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