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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. fork — in a road
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — to get on
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. craft — a skill
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. craft — boats
  13. rule — a law
  14. board — a committee
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. season — in sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rule — government
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. racket — for tennis
  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