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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 120 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pop — soda
  5. march — music
  6. swing — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. swing — in golf
  9. key — in music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. key — for a lock
  12. march — the month
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — the most important part
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pop — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. swing — to play on
  20. march — the month
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lean — thin
  24. arm — part of the body

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