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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: sharp · drill · bear · rock · board · suit · lash · rest

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. board — to get on
  13. rest — what's left
  14. drill — a practice
  15. suit — in cards
  16. drill — army training
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rock — a stone
  22. board — a committee
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rest — a break

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