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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 120 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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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: lean · scale · swing · march · pass · can · lash · board

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. swing — to play on
  3. board — a committee
  4. can — a tin
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. swing — music
  7. board — to get on
  8. march — the month
  9. scale — in music
  10. can — to be able to
  11. march — the month
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. can — a tin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. march — music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — thin

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