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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: snap · club · fan · ruler · dip · file · craft · charge

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — in control
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. club — for golf
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. file — a line of people
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — boats
  11. charge — electricity
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. club — for dancing
  16. file — a document
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. charge — a price
  19. craft — a skill
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. club — a group
  23. snap — to click
  24. file — 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