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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: rest · cabinet · rock · lean · coach · racket · mate · craft

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — boats
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mate — to breed
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rest — a break
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lean — thin
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rest — what's left

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