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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · craft · coach · ruler · fan · branch · pit · chip

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rash — hasty
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. craft — boats
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — to eat
  17. branch — a division
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. coach — a trainer

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