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

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spring — the season
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bank — of a river
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spring — of water
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bank — for money
  19. board — to get on
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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