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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: craft · jam · coach · rush · chair · dip · rash · nail

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rash — a series
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chair — a leader
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rash — hasty
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rush — hurry
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. coach — a trainer

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