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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — in control
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rash — a series
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. foot — a measure
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. tube — a container
  13. craft — boats
  14. branch — a division
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rash — hasty
  21. row — a line
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. tube — the underground

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