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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: straw · charge · wound · fork · craft · fine · foot · tube

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wound — an injury
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fork — in a road
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fine — all right
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. tube — the underground
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. fine — high quality
  22. wound — an injury
  23. craft — a skill
  24. tube — a container

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