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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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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: board · sharp · bowl · fan · cold · pass · shower · craft

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. craft — a skill
  4. shower — rain
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cold — not warm
  7. pass — a permit
  8. shower — to wash
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cold — an illness
  13. board — a committee
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. board — to get on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. craft — boats
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. craft — a handicraft

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