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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. board — to get on
  11. firm — a company
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. plane — a tool
  16. capital — a city
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. board — a committee
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. capital — money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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