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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: club · rock · swing · plane · row · last · craft · coach

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — a tool
  3. craft — a skill
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. club — a group
  6. swing — music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. last — finally
  9. club — for golf
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — boats
  12. last — final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. last — to go on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. club — for dancing
  22. row — a line
  23. row — to paddle
  24. craft — a handicraft

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