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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cap — of ice
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. board — a committee
  6. cap — a hat
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. craft — boats
  17. rock — a stone
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — a lid
  20. dip — to sink
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rock — music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rock — to move gently

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