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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rock — music
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. board — to get on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chest — a box
  23. scale — in music
  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