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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 120 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: lash · temple · vault · hide · cold · craft · stock · charge

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cold — not warm
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — in control
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. craft — a skill
  13. stock — shares
  14. charge — electricity
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. charge — a price
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cold — an illness
  19. stock — goods
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. vault — a safe
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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