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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · craft · ball · season · ruler · coach · wave · chip

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. season — in sport
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. season — of the year
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. craft — boats
  19. chip — to eat
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ruler — for measuring

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