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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: fan · chair · temple · stick · pound · deal · arm · board

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pound — a weight
  18. chair — a leader
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. temple — a place of worship

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