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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: craft · coach · present · rush · net · mug · pound · lean

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. mug — a cup
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. net — after costs
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pound — a weight
  8. craft — a skill
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — a face
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lean — to bend
  13. present — there
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. net — in sport
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lean — thin
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. net — for catching
  21. present — a gift
  22. rush — hurry
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. present — the time now

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