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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: wave · row · track · board · charge · suit · ground · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — a price
  3. ground — a position
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — in cards
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. row — a line
  9. board — to get on
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. suit — to fit
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. charge — in control
  18. track — a path
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. suit — clothes
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. track — a song
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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