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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
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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: jam · rash · lash · club · fan · board · fall · lie

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — to get on
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fall — the season
  15. board — a committee
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. club — a group
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. club — for golf
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fan — a supporter

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