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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bat — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. board — a committee
  24. coach — a trainer

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