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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. board — to get on
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. row — a line
  10. mug — a cup
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — a committee
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. hand — help
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — in cards
  19. row — to paddle
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stand — to bear

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