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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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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: charge · tube · craft · scale · plane · drill · chip · staff

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. drill — the tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. tube — a container
  9. scale — in music
  10. drill — army training
  11. craft — a skill
  12. scale — size or range
  13. staff — a stick
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. charge — in control
  18. staff — employees
  19. charge — electricity
  20. craft — boats
  21. chip — to eat
  22. charge — a price
  23. drill — a practice
  24. plane — a tool

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