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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bank — for money
  9. swing — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pop — to visit
  24. arm — part of the body

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