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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: suit · board · squash · hide · lash · firm · leaves · stick

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — a committee
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. squash — to crush
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. firm — steady
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. squash — the sport
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. suit — to fit
  17. board — to get on
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. suit — clothes
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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