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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 · board · wave · bound · lash · prune · stock · safe

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. board — a committee
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bound — obliged
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — certain
  23. stock — goods
  24. safe — a strongbox

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