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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: object · scale · tube · jam · craft · charge · bound · calf

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. object — an aim
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. craft — boats
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. charge — electricity
  11. craft — a skill
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bound — obliged
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. object — a thing
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. object — to protest

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