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

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bank — for money
  3. spell — a short time
  4. swing — to play on
  5. spell — letters
  6. bank — of a river
  7. swing — in golf
  8. cell — a phone
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. swing — music
  12. object — an aim
  13. charge — a price
  14. ball — a great time
  15. staff — employees
  16. charge — in control
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — a thing
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in biology
  21. object — to protest
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. spell — magic
  24. ball — a round shape

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