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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.

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 · craft · bass · dip · track · board · hide · racket

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. craft — boats
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. track — to keep track
  6. board — a committee
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bass — low music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bass — the fish
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. track — a song
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. dip — to sink
  22. track — a path
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. board — to get on

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