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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. spell — magic
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lean — thin
  6. spell — a short time
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lean — to bend
  19. spell — letters
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — a committee
  24. bank — for money

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