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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wound — an injury
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. spell — magic
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. spell — a short time
  16. foot — a measure
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stand — to bear
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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