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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 · pit · mine · charge · trunk · fine · temple · board

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. board — a committee
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fine — high quality
  7. charge — electricity
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. craft — a skill
  10. board — to get on
  11. charge — a price
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. charge — in control
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pit — in a race
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — a hole
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fine — all right

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