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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.

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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: rash · stand · charge · hand · season · key · craft · nail

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. craft — a skill
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. season — of the year
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. craft — boats
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. key — for a lock
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hand — in cards
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rash — a series
  18. season — in sport
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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