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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. charge — in control
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rash — hasty
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. spell — magic
  14. board — a committee
  15. rash — a series
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. charge — a price

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