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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: lash · board · spring · perch · fan · scale · bowl · pitcher

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. perch — the fish
  5. scale — in music
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — a committee
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. spring — of water
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. scale — size or range
  19. spring — the season
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. scale — for weighing

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