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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. board — to get on
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — a committee
  9. tube — a container
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. tube — the underground
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. squash — the sport
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wake — a trail
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. racket — for tennis

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