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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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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 · bay · rest · bulb · foot · craft · chest · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rest — what's left
  3. charge — in control
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. charge — a price
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. craft — a skill
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — boats
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chest — a box
  24. foot — the bottom

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