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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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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: board · craft · lean · foot · pit · mouse · game · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. game — wild animals
  7. craft — boats
  8. foot — a measure
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pit — in a race
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — a skill
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. lean — to bend

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