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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. board — a committee
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. spring — of water
  5. object — to protest
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. dip — to sink
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. spring — the season
  19. board — to get on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spring — a coil

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