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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 120 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: squash · lie · calf · chip · current · rush · craft · charge

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. charge — a price
  9. current — happening now
  10. squash — the sport
  11. craft — a skill
  12. charge — electricity
  13. craft — boats
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — electric
  21. chip — to eat
  22. current — of water
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. craft — a handicraft

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