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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: saw · suit · fan · drill · coach · bank · rush · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. drill — the tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. suit — clothes
  21. drill — army training
  22. rush — hurry
  23. saw — the tool
  24. suit — in cards

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