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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: craft · charge · chest · nail · stand · season · mouse · fan

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. season — of the year
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chest — of your body
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chest — a box
  10. charge — in control
  11. season — in sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. craft — boats
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — for a hammer

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