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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. track — to keep track
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. file — a document
  9. craft — boats
  10. track — a song
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. file — a line of people
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. can — a tin
  23. track — a path
  24. coach — a trainer

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