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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: season · hand · firm · board · stand · drill · saw · craft

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. firm — a company
  6. drill — the tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — help
  11. drill — a practice
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hand — in cards
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. season — of the year
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. craft — a skill
  21. drill — army training
  22. season — in sport
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — decided

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