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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: craft · roll · swing · mouse · fine · plane · straw · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. craft — boats
  4. plane — a tool
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. craft — a skill
  7. charge — in control
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. swing — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. roll — a list
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. charge — a price
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fine — high quality

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