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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: bowl · trunk · sharp · craft · coach · row · suit · can

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. row — to paddle
  4. suit — in cards
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — boats
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — clothes
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. sharp — clever

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