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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.

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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: charge · prune · ruler · craft · swing · deal

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a skill
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — electricity
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — to handle
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. swing — to play on
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. charge — in control
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — a price
  17. swing — in golf
  18. craft — a handicraft

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