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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: wound · coach · staff · craft · rush · deal · prune · rash

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rash — a series
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — boats
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. staff — a stick
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. deal — to handle
  19. staff — employees
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. staff — employees
  22. rash — hasty
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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