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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: nail · sharp · club · current · craft · arm · band · charge

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. club — for golf
  3. craft — boats
  4. current — electric
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. charge — electricity
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. craft — a skill
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. current — happening now
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. charge — in control
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — a price
  21. current — of water
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. arm — part of the body

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