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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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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 · craft · racket · stick · race · file · coach · pit

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. craft — boats
  4. file — a line of people
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pit — in a race
  8. file — a document
  9. pit — a hole
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — the arms race
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — humankind
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. file — a tool
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. craft — a skill
  21. board — a committee
  22. race — a contest
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — to get 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