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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 116 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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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: degree · stick · bore · band · board · lash · track · suit

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — clothes
  4. degree — temperature
  5. track — a song
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. degree — an amount
  8. band — a music group
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. degree — from a university
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. track — a path
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bore — to tire

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