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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. staff — employees
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. staff — employees
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a committee
  23. staff — a stick
  24. lash — an eyelash

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