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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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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: fork · key · board · last · rest · craft · roll · row

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — in a road
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rest — a break
  7. key — in music
  8. last — final
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — a committee
  11. roll — a cake
  12. row — to paddle
  13. craft — a skill
  14. row — a line
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. craft — boats
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. roll — a list
  24. board — to get on

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