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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. deal — to handle
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mark — a trace
  23. snap — to click
  24. mark — a grade

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