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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — for a lock
  4. foot — a measure
  5. last — to go on
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bore — to tire
  9. march — the month
  10. last — finally
  11. mug — a face
  12. march — music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mug — a cup
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. last — final

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