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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.

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: straw · band · craft · court · plane · deal · patient · charge

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. band — a ring
  3. plane — a tool
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — for sport
  7. craft — boats
  8. charge — electricity
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. court — of law
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — a price
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. band — a music group
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. deal — to handle
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. charge — in control
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. plane — in geometry

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