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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: key · craft · row · wave · pitcher · chip · charge · bulb

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bulb — for light
  3. key — in music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chip — for betting
  7. charge — a price
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. row — to paddle
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — in control
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — electricity
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. row — a line

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