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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: charge · hand · craft · firm · roll · root · ball · bear

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hand — help
  3. charge — electricity
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — in control
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. firm — decided
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hand — in cards
  10. charge — a price
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. craft — boats
  14. bear — the animal
  15. root — of a plant
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. firm — steady
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a great time

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