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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. staff — a stick
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. foot — a measure
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — a committee
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wind — moving air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rock — music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — a stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tear — from crying
  22. board — to get on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — to move gently

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