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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. swing — to play on
  4. vault — a safe
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. row — a line
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. swing — music
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rock — music
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — to lash out

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