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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 · dip · arm · cap · race · stand · trunk · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. race — a contest
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cap — of ice
  5. race — the arms race
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a committee
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. object — to protest
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cap — a lid
  13. board — to get on
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. race — humankind
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — a thing
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cap — a hat
  21. dip — to sink
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. trunk — of a car

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