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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. season — of the year
  9. board — a committee
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. drill — army training
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — a series
  15. bore — to drill
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. craft — a skill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — boats
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. season — in sport

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