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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: tube · ball · charge · chair · safe · date · patient · craft

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tube — a container
  3. craft — boats
  4. charge — in control
  5. ball — a dance
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chair — a leader
  10. craft — a skill
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. charge — electricity
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. date — the fruit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tube — the underground

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