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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. season — in sport
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. firm — steady
  8. board — a committee
  9. capital — money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. board — to get on
  20. season — of the year
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. capital — a city

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