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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. march — music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chest — a box
  10. bank — for money
  11. staff — employees
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bank — for money
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. march — the month
  23. staff — employees
  24. racket — for tennis

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