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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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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: file · craft · bore · pass · firm · coach · cue · fan

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — boats
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cue — a hint
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cue — a signal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — steady
  15. file — a line of people
  16. firm — decided
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bore — to tire
  20. file — a document
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bore — to drill

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