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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 116 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: bass · deal · file · coach · fall · bowl · rest · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bass — low music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fall — the season
  7. craft — boats
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rest — what's left
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rest — a break
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. deal — a big deal

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