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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: craft · face · arm · pit · kick · board · wake · charge

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. board — to get on
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. face — part of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. board — a committee
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. kick — in football
  15. pit — a hole
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — to confront
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. face — to point toward

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