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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. squash — to crush
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rest — what's left
  6. board — to get on
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — clothes
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. squash — the sport
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rest — a break
  17. drill — army training
  18. dip — to sink
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rest — what's left
  24. drill — a practice

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