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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stock — shares
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fall — the season
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stock — goods
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. nail — for a hammer

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