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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. firm — steady
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — a company
  9. tube — a container
  10. firm — decided
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rock — a stone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — to protest
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. calf — of the 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