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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. board — to get on
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. snap — to click
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stock — shares
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rest — a break
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — goods
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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