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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. face — to confront
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward

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