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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. march — music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. staff — employees
  5. swing — in golf
  6. staff — a stick
  7. root — the cause
  8. pit — in a race
  9. craft — a skill
  10. swing — music
  11. root — of a word
  12. current — happening now
  13. march — the month
  14. staff — employees
  15. current — of water
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. march — the month
  18. pit — a hole
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. root — of a plant
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — electric
  24. craft — a handicraft

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