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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · mug · spring · craft · spell · hide · dip · rush

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — electricity
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. mug — to rob
  9. charge — a price
  10. spell — letters
  11. rush — hurry
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. spring — of water
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mug — a cup
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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