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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — to get on
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — a committee
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rest — a break
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. row — a line
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mate — to breed

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