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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wake — a trail
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. craft — a skill
  9. board — a committee
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. board — to get on
  13. pit — in a race
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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