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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: field · charge · coach · bowl · can · craft · lash · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. craft — boats
  3. field — a subject
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. court — of law
  6. charge — a price
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. charge — in control
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. charge — electricity
  14. can — a tin
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. court — for sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. craft — a skill
  19. field — farmland
  20. can — to be able to
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. field — for sport
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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