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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: row · wake · trunk · charge · pass · scale · craft · chip

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. craft — a skill
  5. row — to paddle
  6. scale — in music
  7. chip — for betting
  8. craft — boats
  9. row — a line
  10. charge — electricity
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. charge — a price
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. chip — to eat
  23. charge — in control
  24. trunk — of a tree

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