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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. board — a committee
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. board — to get on
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. roll — a cake
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mark — a grade
  24. roll — a list

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