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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · bass · arm · prune · lash · cabinet

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. board — a committee
  5. bass — low music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — to get on
  18. prune — the fruit

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