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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · calf · chair · fan · rash · charge · bear · court

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rash — a series
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. court — of law
  6. craft — boats
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. court — of a king
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. charge — in control

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