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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: spell · charge · lash · file · chair · drill · craft · prune

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. file — a line of people
  3. charge — a price
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spell — letters
  8. charge — in control
  9. craft — a skill
  10. file — a tool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — army training
  13. craft — boats
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. drill — a practice
  18. chair — a leader
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. spell — magic
  23. drill — the tool
  24. file — a document

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