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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  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. kick — in football
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. roll — a list
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. roll — a cake
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. kick — a thrill
  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