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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — to get on
  3. race — a contest
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mate — to breed
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. root — of a word
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — a committee
  12. mate — a friend
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — humankind
  20. wake — a trail
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. board — a flat piece

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