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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: ball · cabinet · pitch · rest · coach · staff · last · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a dance
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — employees
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. staff — employees
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. last — to go 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