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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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. arm — part of the body
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lean — thin
  7. pound — a weight
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. craft — boats
  11. court — for sport
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. court — of law
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stand — to bear
  20. court — of a king
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. board — to get on
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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