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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. board — a committee
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — thin
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. can — a tin
  20. board — to get on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bulb — of a plant

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