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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: jam · key · game · lie · coach · stand · rock · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rock — a stone
  3. craft — a skill
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rock — music
  10. game — a match
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — for a lock
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. game — wild animals
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lie — an untruth

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