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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: craft · ball · chair · branch · coach · roll · row · foot

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. roll — a list
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. roll — a cake
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — a division
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ball — a dance
  19. foot — a measure
  20. craft — a skill
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. roll — on a roll

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