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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: coach · pound · craft · ball · land · rock · key · bound

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bound — tied together
  3. land — ground
  4. key — in music
  5. land — to come down
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bound — obliged
  10. key — the most important part
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — boats
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bound — certain
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ball — a dance
  23. land — a country
  24. pound — a weight

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