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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.

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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: craft · rest · charge · bear · race · court

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — a skill
  4. court — of a king
  5. rest — a break
  6. bear — the animal
  7. race — a contest
  8. rest — what's left
  9. court — of law
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. race — the arms race
  15. court — for sport
  16. race — humankind
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — a price

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