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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: club · bank · board · nail · lash · craft · trunk · court

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. club — for dancing
  10. court — of a king
  11. club — for golf
  12. court — for sport
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. court — of law
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. club — a group

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