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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: deal · fan · race · board · kick · arm · cue · hide

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. kick — in football
  8. race — a contest
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. board — to get on
  13. cue — a signal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. board — a committee
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — humankind
  19. cue — a hint
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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