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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cue · craft · cell · bank · spell · charge · file

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cell — in biology
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cell — a phone
  8. spell — letters
  9. file — a tool
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cue — for pool
  12. charge — a price
  13. cue — a hint
  14. spell — magic
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. file — a document
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. charge — in control
  19. file — a line of people
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — boats

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