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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — to bear
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a great time
  10. march — the month
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ball — a dance
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bank — for money
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. march — the month
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. march — music

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