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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: lash · row · fan · net · charge · fork · pitch · craft

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fork — in a road
  4. charge — electricity
  5. row — a line
  6. net — in sport
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitch — completely
  9. net — for catching
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fan — a supporter

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