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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: board · bound · pitch · craft · leaves · mark · coach · straw

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bound — certain
  3. craft — boats
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mark — a trace
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. board — to get on
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pitch — completely
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bound — obliged
  24. board — a committee

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