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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a committee
  8. clip — a video
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. board — to get on
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fall — the season
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fall — to drop
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. clip — to cut
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. clip — for paper
  23. fine — all right
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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