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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.

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: stand · foot · board · pitch · season · safe · coach · craft

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. board — to get on
  8. season — in sport
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. season — of the year
  18. pitch — completely
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — to bear
  21. foot — a measure
  22. craft — a skill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — on your feet

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