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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: roll · craft · stick · nail · board · chip · fall · charge

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fall — the season
  3. charge — electricity
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. charge — a price
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — to eat
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — in control
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. board — to get on
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fall — to drop

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