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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spell — letters
  3. wind — moving air
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mug — a cup
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spell — magic
  12. charge — a price
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. staff — employees
  16. scale — in music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mug — a face
  20. craft — boats
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wind — moving air

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