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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: mug · coach · board · stock · key · craft · chest · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — a face
  3. craft — boats
  4. mug — a cup
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — to get on
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chest — of your body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chest — of your body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chest — a box
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — a committee
  17. mug — to rob
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stock — shares
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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