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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 120 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: craft · firm · row · board · chair · club · ball · pop

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. firm — a company
  3. craft — boats
  4. pop — soda
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pop — music
  8. row — a line
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — for golf
  11. board — to get on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. firm — steady
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. club — a group
  21. firm — decided
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. row — a quarrel

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