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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. chest — of your body
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. board — to get on
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wind — moving air
  21. firm — a company
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. board — a committee
  24. ruler — for measuring

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