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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
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: board · content · coach · leaves · craft · file · stick · court

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. content — the amount
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. file — a document
  8. board — to get on
  9. craft — a skill
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. court — for sport
  13. file — a tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. content — happy
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. court — of law
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — boats
  23. court — of a king
  24. file — a line of people

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