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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: suit · lash · prune · chair · mark · sharp · rush · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. chair — a leader
  4. board — a committee
  5. rush — hurry
  6. suit — clothes
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — a trace
  14. prune — to trim
  15. sharp — clever
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. board — to get on

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