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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. board — to get on
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a committee
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rule — government
  19. can — a tin
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rule — a law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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