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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: stick · track · band · cap · cue · board · fork · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cap — of ice
  6. track — a song
  7. cap — a hat
  8. band — a ring
  9. board — a committee
  10. cue — a signal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. band — a music group
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. cue — a hint
  19. track — a path
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cap — a lid

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