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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. object — to protest
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. capital — money
  6. fall — the season
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. object — a thing
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. board — to get on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. capital — a city
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. board — a committee
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — a horse colour

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