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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pitch — completely
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kid — child
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. kid — to tease

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