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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: charge · craft · wave · lie · shower · ball · hand · season

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ball — a great time
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — in sport
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. season — of the year
  16. hand — help
  17. craft — boats
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. shower — rain
  20. lie — to recline
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — a skill
  23. shower — to wash
  24. ball — a dance

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