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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — a skill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. cue — a hint
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cue — a signal
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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