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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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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 · fall · saw · stick · lean · last · craft · foot

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. charge — in control
  5. fall — the season
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — the tool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fall — to drop
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. last — final
  19. charge — a price
  20. craft — boats
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. last — to go on
  23. charge — electricity
  24. foot — 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