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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. toast — bread
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pop — music
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — clothes
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. ball — a dance
  14. suit — in cards
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — to fit
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bound — certain

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