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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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468
Word bank
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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. field — a subject
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. field — farmland
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — a break
  19. board — to get on
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. field — for sport
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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