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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. board — to get on
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fine — high quality
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fine — all right
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. capital — a city
  17. board — a committee
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. chair — a leader
  23. capital — money
  24. saw — the tool

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