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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — a grade
  3. march — the month
  4. craft — a skill
  5. face — to confront
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rest — what's left
  8. march — the month
  9. face — to point toward
  10. can — to be able to
  11. charge — electricity
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. can — a tin
  16. charge — in control
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. march — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — a price
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. face — part of the head

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