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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cap — of ice
  4. board — a committee
  5. cap — a hat
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mug — a face
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — a lid
  16. staff — employees
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mug — a cup
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — to be able to
  23. board — to get on
  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