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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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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: pass · coach · hand · fan · arm · craft · wind · rush

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — moving air
  7. craft — boats
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — in cards
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. hand — help
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. hand — part of the body

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