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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: cap · ball · charge · stand · craft · bore · squash · toast

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bore — to drill
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — in control
  6. cap — a hat
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. ball — a great time
  11. charge — a price
  12. toast — bread
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — to tire
  23. stand — to bear
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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