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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
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: suit · key · craft · charge · object · chest · bear · foot

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. object — to protest
  3. key — for a lock
  4. chest — of your body
  5. charge — a price
  6. key — in music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. suit — in cards
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. key — the most important part
  16. craft — boats
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. object — a thing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chest — a box

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