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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.

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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. content — the amount
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. bank — for money
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — of a river
  9. net — in sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. spell — letters
  12. net — for catching
  13. bulb — for light
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. content — happy
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — a gift
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. net — after costs

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