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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — thin
  8. rock — a stone
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. snap — to click
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rock — music
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. plane — a tool
  24. board — a flat piece

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