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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.

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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: swing · perch · lash · row · fan · board · bay · rule

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rule — government
  14. row — a line
  15. board — a committee
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rule — a law
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. swing — music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. row — to paddle

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