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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. present — the time now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. present — there
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. march — the month
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. march — the month
  14. mate — a partner
  15. present — a gift
  16. mate — to breed
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mate — a friend
  20. suit — to fit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. march — music

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