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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. season — in sport
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rule — a law
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. track — a song
  10. pit — in a race
  11. track — a path
  12. season — of the year
  13. squash — to crush
  14. board — a committee
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rule — government
  18. track — to keep track
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  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