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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. board — a committee
  4. spell — magic
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. board — to get on
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rule — a law
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wake — a trail
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spell — letters
  24. sharp — clever

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