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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a committee
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. band — a music group
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. board — to get on
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — for betting
  11. track — a song
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. root — the cause
  18. band — a ring
  19. root — of a plant
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. root — of a word
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. chip — to eat
  24. straw — a straw man

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