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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.

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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: rest · lash · can · craft · bark · charge · sharp · wake

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bark — to shout
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. can — a tin
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — in control
  20. rest — a break
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wake — a trail
  23. can — to be able to
  24. craft — boats

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