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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
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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 · pop · bear · mine · chair · trunk · leaves · craft

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. craft — boats
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pop — music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pop — soda
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pop — to visit
  14. board — a committee
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mine — for digging
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. board — to get on
  24. chair — a professorship

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