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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. board — a committee
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cue — a signal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. cue — for pool
  12. face — part of the head
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cue — a hint
  15. face — to confront
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. board — to get on
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rock — music
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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