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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. march — the month
  9. row — to paddle
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. march — the month
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. march — music
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. row — a line
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bear — the animal

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