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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mate — to breed
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pound — a weight
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stand — to bear
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mate — a partner
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. foot — a measure
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. row — a line

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