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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
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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: craft · cue · pound · press · charge · present · rash · lash

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pound — a weight
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — for pool
  7. craft — boats
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. present — a gift
  13. press — newspapers
  14. craft — a skill
  15. press — to push
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cue — a signal
  18. present — the time now
  19. charge — a price
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rash — hasty
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. present — there
  24. pound — for dogs

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