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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 120 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
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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: pitcher · lash · charge · hide · craft · nail

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. charge — electricity
  18. craft — boats

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