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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · spell · content · present · hand · pitch · plane · charge

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitch — completely
  3. craft — a skill
  4. hand — in cards
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. craft — boats
  9. present — there
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. present — the time now
  13. spell — a short time
  14. charge — in control
  15. content — the amount
  16. spell — magic
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — letters
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — a gift
  24. pitch — a sports field

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