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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. dip — to sink
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. squash — the sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. board — to get on
  17. land — a country
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — ground
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — to come down
  24. dip — to dunk

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