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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: kick · spell · arm · cabinet · chair · ruler · trunk · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chair — a leader
  16. spell — magic
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. board — a committee
  19. spell — letters
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — in football
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. arm — part of the body

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