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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cue — a signal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. tear — to rip
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. board — to get on
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. kid — child
  23. board — a committee
  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