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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: lie · season · band · rest · arm · board · lash · bulb

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. board — a committee
  4. band — a music group
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bulb — for light
  7. band — a ring
  8. season — in sport
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — a break
  16. board — to get on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. season — of the year
  22. rest — what's left
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lie — an untruth

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