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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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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: board · craft · net · charge · sharp · stand · nail · prune

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. board — to get on
  3. net — after costs
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stand — to bear
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. net — for catching
  15. board — a committee
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — boats
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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