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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bound — obliged
  6. chest — of your body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cell — in biology
  9. board — a committee
  10. chest — a box
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bound — certain
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cell — a phone
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. board — to get on

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