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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: craft · stock · fine · charge · cabinet · racket · wind · snap

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stock — shares
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stock — goods
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. fine — all right
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wind — moving air
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. charge — electricity
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — boats

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