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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 120 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: sharp · board · fan · lash · club · spell · perch · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spell — letters
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — magic
  15. club — for golf
  16. sharp — clever
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. spell — a short time

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