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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rest — a break
  8. board — a committee
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. file — a tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. board — to get on
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rest — what's left
  17. file — a document
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. file — a line of people
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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