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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.

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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — to get on
  5. present — there
  6. club — a group
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. club — for dancing
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. present — a gift
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. shower — rain
  13. present — the time now
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. club — for golf
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. board — a committee
  23. shower — to wash
  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