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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pit — a hole
  5. board — to get on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bank — for money
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rush — hurry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rest — a break
  20. board — a committee
  21. bank — of a river
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. safe — out of danger

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