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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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rule — government
  8. ground — crushed
  9. face — to confront
  10. board — a committee
  11. content — happy
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ground — a position
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. board — to get on
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rule — a law
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rule — to rule out

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