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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. board — to get on
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — to visit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a committee
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pop — soda
  14. degree — temperature
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pop — music
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. degree — from a university
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — part of the body

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