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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: coach · can · file · rush · craft · degree · drill · suit

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. drill — a practice
  4. file — a document
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — army training
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. file — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. file — a line of people
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. can — a tin
  17. degree — an amount
  18. craft — boats
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. drill — the tool
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. suit — in cards
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rush — hurry

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