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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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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: lash · perch · charge · arm · rush · current · craft · hand

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — electricity
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. craft — boats
  12. current — of water
  13. hand — help
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. current — electric
  18. hand — in cards
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — happening now
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rush — hurry
  24. arm — a part of something

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