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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 · craft · pit · leaves · band · rule · sharp · rush

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. craft — boats
  7. charge — electricity
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rule — a law
  11. sharp — clever
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. craft — a skill
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. charge — a price

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