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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: fan · club · bound · wound · plane · craft · board · can

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. board — a committee
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. board — to get on
  7. club — a group
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wound — an injury
  12. can — a tin
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. club — for golf
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. can — to be able to

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