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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: prune · lash · craft · track · spring · charge · coach · court

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. track — a song
  2. court — of a king
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spring — the season
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. court — for sport
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — a path
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. court — of law
  22. track — to keep track
  23. charge — electricity
  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