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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.

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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: rest · arm · craft · cap · charge · roll · wave · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. craft — a skill
  7. roll — a list
  8. charge — a price
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rest — a break
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cap — of ice
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. charge — in control
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rest — what's left

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