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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. suit — in cards
  3. board — to get on
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — a break
  10. lie — to recline
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — a committee
  24. lash — an eyelash

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