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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · fall · craft · ruler · lean · charge

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. staff — employees
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — a stick
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lean — to bend
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. fall — the season

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