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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: mine · board · prune · clip · craft · suit · mate · firm

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. firm — decided
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. firm — steady
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. mate — a friend
  8. clip — for paper
  9. firm — a company
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — in cards
  15. prune — to trim
  16. clip — to cut
  17. suit — to fit
  18. board — a committee
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mine — for digging
  24. clip — a video

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