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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · craft · board · racket · rule · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rule — a law
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — boats
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. board — to get on
  18. fork — a garden tool

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