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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. toast — bread
  5. club — for dancing
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. dip — to sink
  9. craft — boats
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — a line
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. craft — a skill

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