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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 · cabinet · craft · present · patient · fall

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. charge — electricity
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — boats
  7. charge — a price
  8. fall — to drop
  9. charge — in control
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — there
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. fall — the season
  16. present — the time now
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — a gift

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