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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: board · spring · vault · suit · kick · lash · dip · mate

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spring — the season
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. suit — to fit
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mate — a partner
  13. board — to get on
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mate — a friend
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. vault — a safe
  19. spring — of water
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lash — to lash out

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