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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: stand · lash · board · bulb · swing · craft · shower · content

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. swing — music
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bulb — for light
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. board — to get on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. content — the amount
  12. shower — to wash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. content — happy
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stand — to bear
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. craft — a skill
  24. content — videos and posts

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