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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
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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: charge · lash · plane · ball · pop · craft · cabinet · hide

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a great time
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. craft — a skill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pop — soda
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. charge — electricity

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