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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. hand — in cards
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. board — to get on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hand — help
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — a break
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. board — a committee
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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