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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 116 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: court · charge · craft · plane · patient · kick · squash · ground

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. squash — to crush
  3. craft — a skill
  4. court — for sport
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ground — the earth
  9. court — of law
  10. squash — the sport
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — crushed
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. court — of a king
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ground — a position
  21. charge — electricity
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. craft — boats

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