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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.

Make a worksheet

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: foot · coach · land · pit · craft · staff · court · march

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — a measure
  5. staff — employees
  6. land — a country
  7. craft — a skill
  8. staff — employees
  9. craft — boats
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. land — ground
  13. court — for sport
  14. march — music
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pit — a hole
  21. land — to come down
  22. staff — a stick
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pit — in a race

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