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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: racket · mark · saw · craft · file · club · coach · object

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. file — a document
  3. craft — boats
  4. object — an aim
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a line of people
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. saw — the tool
  10. object — to protest
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. object — a thing
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. club — a group
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. file — a tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. club — for dancing
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. club — for golf
  23. mark — a trace
  24. racket — for tennis

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