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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fall — the season
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wax — to grow
  5. court — of law
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fall — to drop
  8. board — to get on
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fall — to drop
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. game — wild animals
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. board — a committee
  24. deal — a big deal

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