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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · hand · hide · board · rule · object · fan · stick

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. hand — help
  6. rule — government
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. object — to protest
  22. rule — a law
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. object — an aim

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