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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 · lash · rush · mate · press · bore · craft · board

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. craft — boats
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bore — to drill
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. press — newspapers

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