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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
468
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: bay · sharp · file · object · board · present · firm · lash

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. object — a thing
  5. board — to get on
  6. firm — a company
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. sharp — clever
  10. file — a tool
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. firm — steady
  16. file — a line of people
  17. present — there
  18. firm — decided
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. object — to protest
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. file — a document

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