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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. court — for sport
  6. board — to get on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rest — a break
  19. court — of a king
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. court — of law
  23. band — a music group
  24. band — a ring

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