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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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Word bank
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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: toast · snap · hand · board · face · safe · suit · arm

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. hand — help
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. face — to confront
  8. suit — to fit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — part of the head
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — a committee
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. snap — to click
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hand — in cards
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. toast — bread
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. face — to point toward
  24. board — to get on

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