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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — hurry
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. content — happy
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bass — low music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. content — the amount
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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