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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: can · rush · craft · charge · spell · club · stock · coach

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. can — to be able to
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. charge — a price
  5. rush — hurry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. club — for dancing
  8. spell — letters
  9. craft — a skill
  10. charge — in control
  11. craft — boats
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stock — shares
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stock — goods
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. charge — electricity
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. club — for golf
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. club — a group
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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