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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: plane · squash · board · bore · wave · drill · lash · fan

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. board — a committee
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. drill — army training
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bore — to drill
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. board — to get on
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. squash — to crush
  24. plane — in geometry

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