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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. game — wild animals
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. board — to get on
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. game — a match
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fork — in a road
  21. dip — to sink
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitch — completely
  24. game — a kind of play

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