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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.

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: rash · lash · pit · craft · rock · spring · tube · board

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. craft — boats
  3. spring — the season
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pit — in a race
  8. craft — a skill
  9. spring — of water
  10. rash — a series
  11. rock — music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rock — a stone
  18. tube — a container
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pit — a hole
  22. board — to get on
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. board — a committee

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