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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 · racket · fork · straw · ball · rash · craft · ruler

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — in a road
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — electricity
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. charge — a price
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. craft — boats
  19. rash — hasty
  20. charge — in control
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. craft — a skill
  24. straw — dry grass

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