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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. firm — steady
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rush — hurry
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pit — a hole
  14. present — there
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. board — to get on
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. firm — decided
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. firm — a company
  21. wound — an injury
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. nail — for a hammer

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