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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — music
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. face — to point toward
  7. suit — in cards
  8. face — to confront
  9. club — for dancing
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — for golf
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — to get on
  15. press — to push
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. club — a group
  18. face — part of the head
  19. suit — to fit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — a stone
  22. board — a committee
  23. cap — a lid
  24. press — newspapers

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