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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. sharp — clever
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. board — to get on
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — to recline
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. date — the fruit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — an untruth

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