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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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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: craft · firm · row · board · chair · club

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. club — for dancing
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. club — for golf
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chair — a leader
  10. firm — steady
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. club — a group
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. firm — a company
  16. craft — boats
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. firm — decided

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