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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: rush · arm · craft · face · charge · sharp · object · fine

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. fine — all right
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — a thing
  6. face — to point toward
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. object — an aim
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. craft — boats
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. face — to confront
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fine — high quality
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. object — to protest
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. craft — a skill
  24. face — part of the head

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