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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. board — a committee
  4. bound — obliged
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bound — tied together
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. game — a match
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bound — certain
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bank — for money

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