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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · net · mine · stick · season · board · plane · coach

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. net — after costs
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. season — in sport
  7. craft — a skill
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. season — of the year
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. net — for catching
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. craft — boats
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. net — in sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — a 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