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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. field — farmland
  8. last — to go on
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. last — final
  12. board — to get on
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. last — finally
  16. field — a subject
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. board — a committee
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. field — for sport
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a flat piece

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