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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. present — a gift
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. key — for a lock
  8. present — the time now
  9. key — in music
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. march — music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. present — there
  19. cell — in biology
  20. march — the month
  21. cell — a phone
  22. key — the most important part
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. march — the month

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