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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: lash · chip · racket · mark · cell · suit · kid · board

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. board — a committee
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. suit — in cards
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — to get on
  15. kid — child
  16. suit — to fit
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kid — to tease
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — for betting

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