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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: lean · plane · wake · rush · court · coach · charge · craft

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. plane — a tool
  19. charge — in control
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. craft — boats
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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