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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 · mine · stick · board · staff · jam

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. staff — a stick
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. board — a committee
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mine — for digging
  10. board — to get on
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. staff — employees
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. staff — employees

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