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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · can · ground · saw · leaves · march · arm · club

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. club — a group
  6. can — a tin
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. club — for golf
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. march — the month
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. can — to be able to
  15. march — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. march — the month
  18. club — for dancing
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — crushed
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ground — a position
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. can — a tin

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