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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: deal · plane · fork · roll · chest · pop · craft · charge

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. fork — in a road
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pop — to visit
  5. craft — a skill
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. roll — a cake
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. chest — of your body
  19. charge — a price
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. plane — a tool

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