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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · pass · can · bark · bowl · march · chest · bear

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chest — a box
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. can — a tin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bark — to shout
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. march — music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. march — the month
  24. bowl — a dish

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