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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — a committee
  8. band — a ring
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitch — completely
  15. board — to get on
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. tube — the underground
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. band — a music group
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. toast — bread

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