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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: coach · foot · fine · board · fan · court · craft · tube

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fine — all right
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — boats
  6. court — of law
  7. tube — a container
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. craft — a skill
  10. foot — a measure
  11. court — of a king
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. court — for sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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