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

Word bank: snap · charge · mate · wind · object · craft

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. object — to protest
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mate — to breed
  9. snap — to click
  10. mate — a partner
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mate — a friend
  13. charge — in control
  14. wind — moving air
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — boats
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing

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