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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rush — hurry
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rest — what's left

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