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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 120 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
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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 · mug · board · stand · hand · arm · content · club

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. hand — help
  4. content — happy
  5. board — to get on
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stand — to bear
  10. club — for dancing
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. content — the amount
  14. club — for golf
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. club — a group
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. board — a committee
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hand — in cards

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