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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bowl · spell · craft · charge · trunk · present · file · mouse

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. charge — electricity
  3. craft — boats
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a document
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. spell — magic
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. spell — letters
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. file — a line of people
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. file — a tool
  19. present — there
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. spell — a short time
  23. charge — a price
  24. bowl — a football final

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