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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. deal — to handle
  3. staff — employees
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. row — to paddle
  9. kick — in football
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. row — a line
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. kick — with a leg

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