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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: craft · net · trunk · charge · jam · sharp · plane · rush

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rush — hurry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. charge — in control
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. charge — a price
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. net — for catching
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. net — in sport
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. net — after costs
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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