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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: pound · toast · coach · club · game · rule · staff · craft

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for dancing
  6. craft — boats
  7. club — for golf
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rule — a law
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — bread
  13. game — a match
  14. rule — government
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. staff — a stick
  17. game — wild animals
  18. club — a group
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. pound — a weight
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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