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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.

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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: patient · kid · charge · drill · firm · lash · ball · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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 — a handicraft
  2. firm — decided
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. kid — child
  5. drill — army training
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. craft — a skill
  9. drill — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — steady
  14. charge — electricity
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. firm — a company
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — boats
  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