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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: present · arm · board · stick · patient · tube · rest · content

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rest — a break
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — a container
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. present — a gift
  9. content — the amount
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. board — to get on
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — a committee
  18. present — the time now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. content — happy
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. present — there
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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