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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · date · present · branch · straw · charge · can · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. charge — in control
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. present — a gift
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. present — the time now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — boats
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. date — the fruit
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — to be able to
  23. present — there
  24. can — a tin

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