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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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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: deal · board · swing · craft · root · wake · court · chair

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — a trail
  3. court — of law
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. root — of a plant
  6. court — of a king
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chair — a leader
  9. swing — in golf
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. root — the cause
  18. swing — music
  19. root — of a word
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. craft — boats
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. chair — to sit on

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