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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 120 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: chest · board · racket · bay · wound · bowl · arm · stand

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. racket — for tennis

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