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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. swing — music
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rush — hurry
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stock — goods
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. swing — in golf
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — clothes
  16. board — a committee
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stock — shares
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. perch — for a bird

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