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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 · pitcher · scale · bark · cell · object · drill · charge

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. craft — boats
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — in control
  10. craft — a skill
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. charge — electricity
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. charge — a price
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. drill — the tool
  22. scale — in music
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bark — to shout

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