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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 120 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: degree · bear · craft · rest · rush · charge · lash · foot

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rest — a break
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rush — hurry
  9. degree — temperature
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. craft — a skill
  13. charge — in control
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. degree — an amount
  24. lash — to lash out

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