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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: charge · pitcher · craft · track · calf · pit · present · ball

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. charge — a price
  5. pit — a hole
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pit — in a race
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a dance
  15. track — to keep track
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. present — a gift
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. charge — in control
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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