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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. row — a line
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. spell — magic
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — to recline
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — decided
  16. row — to paddle
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mark — a trace
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — a company
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — letters
  23. firm — steady
  24. spell — a short time

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