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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: cell · sharp · board · rock · fine · craft · bowl · net

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fine — all right
  4. net — in sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — a stone
  10. net — for catching
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. board — a committee
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. cell — a phone
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — to get on
  21. cell — in biology
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rock — music
  24. fine — high quality

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