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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: racket · charge · dip · fall · branch · wax · jam · craft

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — a price
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. craft — boats
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — in control
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. branch — a division
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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