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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: board · cap · racket · arm · tear · object · rest · temple

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rest — a break
  9. board — to get on
  10. cap — a lid
  11. object — a thing
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cap — of ice
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rest — what's left
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — a hat
  19. object — to protest
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — an aim
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — a flat piece
  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