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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: craft · fan · mug · board · scale · row · rash · track

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. rash — a series
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mug — a face
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. track — a song
  13. rash — hasty
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. row — a line
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mug — a cup
  19. track — a path
  20. scale — in music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — to rob
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. track — to keep track

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