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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: bay · game · chair · lash · board · foot · lean · prune

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. lean — thin
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lean — to bend
  7. foot — a measure
  8. game — a match
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chair — a leader
  22. board — a committee
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. foot — the bottom

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