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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bass — low music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. march — the month
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. march — the month
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — a division
  19. march — music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. craft — boats
  22. key — the most important part
  23. craft — a skill
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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