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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: object · rash · suit · lash · prune · sharp · board · dip

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. object — to protest
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — an aim
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. object — a thing
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rash — a series
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rash — hasty
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — to fit

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