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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 116 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: charge · craft · dip · rash · mark · court · fork · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. court — for sport
  7. rash — a series
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. craft — boats
  10. mark — a grade
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. charge — a price
  18. fork — in a road
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. rule — a law
  22. charge — in control
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. charge — electricity

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