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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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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: rock · chair · craft · coach · chip · snap · board · key

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. board — a committee
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chair — a leader
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. key — for a lock
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. key — the most important part
  20. snap — to click
  21. craft — a skill
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. craft — boats
  24. key — in music

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