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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: lean · press · fan · board · plane · club · craft · wake

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lean — to bend
  8. craft — a skill
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. club — for golf
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. plane — a tool
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — boats
  21. lean — thin
  22. board — a committee
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. board — to get on

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