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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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 — for a computer
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ball — a dance
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. lean — thin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. board — a committee
  18. wax — to grow
  19. board — to get on
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stem — a stem cell

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