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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · lie · lash · shower · rash · jam · drill · chair

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lie — to recline
  4. board — a committee
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rash — hasty
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chair — a leader
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — a practice
  13. shower — rain
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rash — a series
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. drill — army training
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. drill — the tool
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. board — to get on
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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