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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. firm — a company
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — the time now
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — there
  8. firm — decided
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. board — a committee
  12. suit — clothes
  13. firm — steady
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. band — a music group
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a dance

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