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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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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: saw · sharp · court · ruler · wave · season · craft · coach

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — boats
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. court — of a king
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. saw — the tool
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. court — for sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. court — of law
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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