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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. degree — temperature
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bank — for money
  18. degree — from a university
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bank — of a river
  21. saw — the tool
  22. degree — an amount
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bulb — of a plant

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