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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · craft · ruler · charge · cold · spell

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. craft — boats
  3. spell — letters
  4. craft — a skill
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. charge — in control
  8. spell — magic
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cold — not warm
  15. charge — a price
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. present — a gift
  18. cold — an illness

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