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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: hand · fan · nail · mark · bark · craft · charge · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. charge — in control
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. hand — in cards
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bark — to shout
  12. charge — a price
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. hand — help
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. object — an aim
  24. fan — a supporter

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