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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 120 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: coach · pound · can · craft · fork · rest · pitch · plane

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. craft — boats
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — to be able to
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. pound — a weight
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. can — a tin

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