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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · jam · net · mark · rush · rest · arm · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. net — after costs
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. board — to get on
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. net — for catching
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rush — hurry
  22. board — a committee
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. board — a flat piece

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