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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: swing · dip · craft · bowl · coach · fan · trunk · pitcher

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. swing — music
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. craft — a skill
  17. dip — to sink
  18. craft — boats
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. swing — to play on
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pitcher — a jug

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