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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. swing — music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. kid — to tease
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kid — child
  22. mark — a grade
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a committee

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