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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. row — to paddle
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. row — a line
  14. cue — a hint
  15. board — to get on
  16. game — a match
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. board — a committee
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. sharp — clever
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rush — hurry

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