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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: pitcher · cabinet · board · staff · cap · arm · toast · march

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cap — a hat
  3. staff — a stick
  4. board — to get on
  5. toast — bread
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. staff — employees
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. march — music
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. board — a committee
  23. staff — employees
  24. toast — the most admired

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