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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. hand — in cards
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. net — for catching
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. board — a committee
  11. hand — help
  12. chair — a leader
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. board — to get on
  18. present — a gift
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. present — there
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. arm — part of the body

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