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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · charge · sharp · net · bowl · fall · jam · lash

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. net — for catching
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. net — in sport
  12. sharp — clever
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fall — the season
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. craft — boats
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — a skill
  20. charge — a price
  21. fall — to drop
  22. charge — in control
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. net — after costs

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