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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chair — a leader
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rock — music
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. drill — a practice
  22. snap — to click
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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