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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a dance
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cap — a lid
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — a weight
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lean — thin

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