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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: current · last · ground · calf · rash · coach · fall · craft

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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. rash — a series
  4. last — final
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. current — electric
  7. ground — the earth
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. current — of water
  10. craft — boats
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. fall — the season
  13. rash — hasty
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. last — finally
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. last — to go on
  22. current — happening now
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fall — to drop

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