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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. cell — in biology
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. board — to get on
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. track — to keep track
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. kick — in football
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. track — a song
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stand — to bear
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cell — a phone
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cell — in a prison

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