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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. march — music
  3. present — the time now
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. march — the month
  6. foot — a measure
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mate — to breed
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — a price
  13. pound — a weight
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mate — a partner
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. present — there
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — the month
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. pound — to hit hard

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