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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: ball · deal · toast · board · squash · track · arm · stick

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. ball — a great time
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. toast — bread
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. track — a path
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. squash — to crush
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ball — a dance
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. track — a song
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. track — to keep track
  23. squash — the sport
  24. board — to get on

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