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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: pop · cap · drill · saw · charge · racket · temple · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pop — soda
  4. drill — the tool
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pop — music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. craft — a skill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pop — to visit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — a practice

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