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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — to get on
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. staff — employees
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. deal — to handle
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. staff — a stick
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. board — a committee
  24. racket — for tennis

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