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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. object — to protest
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rush — hurry
  7. object — an aim
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. board — a committee
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. dip — to sink
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — a thing
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fork — to eat with

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