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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: lash · mouse · club · board · cap · bay · pop · pit

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. board — a committee
  6. pit — in a race
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cap — of ice
  10. club — a group
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. club — for golf

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