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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · hand · arm · foot · board · firm

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. firm — a company
  7. board — to get on
  8. foot — a measure
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. lie — to recline
  11. firm — decided
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. firm — steady
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. arm — a part of something

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