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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — to get on
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. roll — a cake
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rock — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stand — to bear
  14. game — a match
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ball — a dance
  21. roll — a list
  22. board — a committee
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. board — a flat piece

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