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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: lash · cabinet · jam · racket · board · mouse · drill · chair

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. chair — a leader
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. drill — army training
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. drill — a practice
  23. board — a committee
  24. jam — in traffic

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