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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: charge · kick · hide · rock · fan · craft · spring · patient

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. spring — a coil
  4. charge — in control
  5. craft — boats
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. craft — a skill
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — music
  12. kick — in football
  13. charge — a price
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. charge — electricity
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spring — the season
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — of water
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. fan — a supporter

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