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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. board — to get on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rule — government
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rule — a law
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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