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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. degree — from a university
  7. board — to get on
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fall — the season
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bank — of a river
  12. degree — temperature
  13. pound — a weight
  14. board — a committee
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bank — for money
  17. fall — to drop
  18. last — finally
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. bank — for money
  24. pound — for dogs

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