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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: wave · craft · roll · trunk · charge · rock · arm · file

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. file — a line of people
  5. roll — a list
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. craft — a skill
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. rock — music
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. charge — electricity
  14. craft — boats
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. file — a tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rock — a stone
  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