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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: craft · press · dip · fork · branch · board · coach · wake

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. press — to push
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. board — to get on
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — boats
  16. board — a committee
  17. press — a publisher
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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