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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: racket · mug · pit · face · arm · rock · ruler · board

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — a face
  4. board — to get on
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. board — a committee
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rock — music
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. face — to point toward
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. face — to confront
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rock — a stone
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. face — part of the head

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