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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.

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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: coach · wound · bay · craft · rock · club · pit · sharp

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. club — for golf
  6. wound — an injury
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — music
  13. club — for dancing
  14. sharp — clever
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. craft — boats
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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