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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. field — farmland
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — to keep track
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. snap — to click
  21. board — a committee
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  24. safe — out of danger

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