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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 116 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: craft · bank · charge · mark · lash · perch · cabinet · racket

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — a grade
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — of a river
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. craft — a skill
  18. charge — electricity
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. charge — in control
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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