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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: suit · firm · board · lash · rule · stem · vault · field

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. field — for sport
  4. board — to get on
  5. field — a subject
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. firm — decided
  9. board — a committee
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. suit — to fit
  19. firm — a company
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. field — farmland
  23. stem — to come from
  24. suit — in cards

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