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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: lash · wave · board · craft · lean · drill · jam · spring

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. craft — boats
  3. board — a committee
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. drill — army training
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spring — a coil
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spring — the season
  14. lean — thin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. spring — of water
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. drill — the tool
  24. craft — a skill

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