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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. sharp — clever
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kick — in football
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rest — a break
  20. bark — to shout
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. board — to get on
  24. kick — with a leg

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