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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: charge · pit · fine · craft · squash · last · bay · bore

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bore — to tire
  6. last — finally
  7. bore — to drill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pit — a hole
  11. craft — a skill
  12. last — to go on
  13. charge — a price
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pit — in a race
  16. squash — the sport
  17. charge — in control
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fine — all right
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. last — final
  23. craft — boats
  24. bay — a horse colour

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