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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · roll · fine · toast · net · snap · coach · craft

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. craft — a skill
  5. board — to get on
  6. net — in sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a committee
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. net — for catching
  12. fine — high quality
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. roll — a cake
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. toast — bread
  21. roll — a list
  22. craft — boats
  23. net — after costs
  24. board — a flat piece

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