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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
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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: rush · fall · board · last · fork · rock · court · craft

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rock — music
  13. fall — the season
  14. court — for sport
  15. board — to get on
  16. craft — boats
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. last — finally
  20. fall — to drop
  21. last — final
  22. court — of a king
  23. last — to go on
  24. court — of law

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