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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · chair · coach · degree · craft · dip · bass · nail

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. degree — temperature
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. key — in music
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. key — for a lock
  19. dip — to sink
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — boats
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bass — low music

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