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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 · craft · jam · bore · cabinet · pit · kick · fork

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. kick — in football
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pit — in a race
  5. charge — a price
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fork — in a road
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pit — a hole

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