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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. object — to protest
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. object — a thing
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. suit — clothes
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — a committee
  24. object — an aim

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