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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.

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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: charge · ball · lash · saw · chip · date · bulb · craft

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. chip — for betting
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. date — the fruit
  16. charge — a price
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ball — a great time
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — to eat

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