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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. chip — for betting
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. ball — a round shape

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