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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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · foot · lash · chair · spell · lean · board · land

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. spell — magic
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. spell — letters
  8. craft — boats
  9. land — to come down
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — a country
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spell — a short time
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. board — to get on
  21. land — ground
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — to lash out
  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