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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · board · saw · season · rest · stand

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. season — in sport
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stand — to bear
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. board — a committee
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. season — of the year
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. board — to get on
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. board — a flat piece

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