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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
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: nail · charge · mug · hide · cap · bulb · ball · hand

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hand — help
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — a price
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mug — a face
  9. cap — a hat
  10. mug — a cup
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mug — to rob
  17. charge — electricity
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — in control
  24. hand — part of the body

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