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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. board — a committee
  10. branch — a division
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. suit — to fit
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bass — low music
  18. board — to get on
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. drill — the tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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