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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: mate · mouse · arm · trunk · pop · craft · foot · march

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. march — the month
  3. pop — music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. march — the month
  10. pop — to visit
  11. march — music
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — a skill
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. pop — soda
  19. craft — boats
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. foot — 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