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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 116 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 · board · chair · firm · hide · row · bay · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. firm — steady
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. row — to paddle
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. firm — a company
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. row — a line
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. board — to get on
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — decided
  21. board — a committee
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chair — a leader

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