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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. firm — steady
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. land — to come down
  8. cold — an illness
  9. object — an aim
  10. present — the time now
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. craft — boats
  13. firm — a company
  14. land — ground
  15. present — a gift
  16. firm — decided
  17. cold — not warm
  18. board — a committee
  19. present — there
  20. craft — a skill
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. land — a country
  24. cold — the Cold War

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