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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.

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: pit · arm · staff · wave · board · ball · dip · can

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. dip — to sink
  3. can — to be able to
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ball — a dance
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. board — to get on
  11. can — a tin
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. board — a committee
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — a stick
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. staff — employees

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