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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. tear — from crying
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — thin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. board — to get on
  14. bank — for money
  15. mug — a face
  16. last — to go on
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. sharp — exactly

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