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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.

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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: chip · drill · club · craft · can · plane · coach · rush

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. craft — a skill
  8. can — a tin
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. craft — boats
  13. rush — hurry
  14. club — a group
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. club — for dancing
  17. chip — to eat
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. plane — a tool
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. chip — for betting

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