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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: bore · charge · craft · cue · trunk · wind · race · wave

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. charge — in control
  7. cue — for pool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wind — moving air
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. cue — a signal
  22. race — a contest
  23. cue — a hint
  24. charge — a price

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