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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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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: craft · object · lash · rule · chest · board · stand · arm

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. chest — a box
  5. craft — boats
  6. board — to get on
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. object — to protest
  9. stand — to bear
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. board — a committee
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rule — a law
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rule — government
  20. object — an aim
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. chest — of your body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a flat piece

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