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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 120 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
468
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: coach · club · stick · pop · shower · fan · mark · craft

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. shower — to wash
  10. club — a group
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. craft — boats
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a trace
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. shower — rain
  21. club — for golf
  22. pop — soda
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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