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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
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: net · coach · staff · season · firm · craft · stem · march

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. staff — employees
  4. firm — decided
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a skill
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — a company
  10. march — the month
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. net — after costs
  13. season — in sport
  14. staff — a stick
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. staff — employees
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — of the year
  19. net — in sport
  20. firm — steady
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. net — for catching
  24. march — music

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