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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chip — to eat
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. board — a committee
  8. chip — for betting
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. board — to get on
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chip — in a computer

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