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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: game · temple · stock · cabinet · mate · board · lash · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mate — to breed
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a friend
  22. board — a committee
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mate — a partner

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