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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. suit — clothes
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. file — a document
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wound — an injury
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. file — a tool
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wound — an injury
  23. board — a committee
  24. snap — to click

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