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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: bear · craft · court · bay · stem · coach · face · board

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stem — to come from
  7. board — a committee
  8. court — for sport
  9. face — part of the head
  10. craft — a skill
  11. court — of a king
  12. craft — boats
  13. court — of law
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bear — the animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. board — to get on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bay — a horse colour

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