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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. board — a committee
  6. tube — a container
  7. board — to get on
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. face — to confront
  15. pass — a permit
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. face — part of the head
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a dance
  23. kick — in football
  24. tube — the underground

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