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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fall — to drop
  4. board — a committee
  5. can — a tin
  6. fall — to drop
  7. content — the amount
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. content — happy
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. board — to get on
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fall — the season
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stand — to bear

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