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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: charge · rest · spring · staff · rash · craft · dip · fine

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. charge — in control
  6. rash — a series
  7. rest — what's left
  8. staff — employees
  9. rash — hasty
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fine — all right
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. spring — the season
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spring — a coil
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. staff — employees
  21. spring — of water
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fine — high quality
  24. dip — to sink

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