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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 120 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 · racket · fine · craft · cabinet · snap · cap · ruler

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. snap — to click
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. cap — of ice
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. charge — a price
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fine — all right
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. cap — a lid

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