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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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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. board — a committee
  3. craft — a skill
  4. board — to get on
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pit — a hole
  7. craft — boats
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — in a road
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pit — in a race
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. tube — a container
  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