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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 124 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bear — the animal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. band — a music group
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. foot — a measure
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. cell — in biology
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. club — a group
  18. band — a ring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cell — a phone
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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