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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. squash — to crush
  4. foot — a measure
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. squash — the sport
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. board — a committee
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bear — to put up with

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