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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: saw · craft · chest · club · rock · coach · prune · leaves

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rock — music
  6. chest — of your body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chest — a box
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. saw — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. chest — of your body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. prune — to trim
  22. club — for golf
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. club — a group

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