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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. roll — a cake
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. firm — a company
  9. dip — to sink
  10. charge — in control
  11. firm — steady
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — a short time
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. spell — letters
  17. firm — decided
  18. roll — a list

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