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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · field · object · board · lash · rush · fall · temple

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. object — to protest
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rush — hurry
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. board — a committee
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fall — the season
  12. field — farmland
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. field — for sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. board — to get on
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. field — a subject
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a flat piece

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