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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. staff — a stick
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. spring — of water
  18. perch — the fish
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spring — the season
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. rest — a break

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