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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: rule · racket · board · mouse · coach · craft · lash · pound

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. board — to get on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. craft — a skill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — a law
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rule — government
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. board — a committee
  23. racket — for tennis
  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