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

Word bank: board · pit · cabinet · lean · bear · lash

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — thin
  8. pit — a hole
  9. board — to get on
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cabinet — ministers

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