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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. spring — the season
  4. tube — a container
  5. track — a path
  6. rash — a series
  7. spring — a coil
  8. track — a song
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. spring — of water
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rash — hasty

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