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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: craft · rush · rock · game · wake · charge · pit · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — a stone
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. craft — a skill
  5. charge — in control
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. charge — a price
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rock — music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. craft — boats
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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