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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · season · coach · wave · chip · board · pass · bark

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pass — a permit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. board — to get on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. season — of the year
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. season — in sport
  24. lash — an eyelash

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