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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. board — to get on
  6. suit — clothes
  7. race — the arms race
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fall — the season
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. fall — to drop
  14. race — humankind
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mate — to breed
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fall — to drop
  23. race — a contest
  24. leaves — to go away

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