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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · prune · spell · charge · bound · face

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. charge — a price
  3. bound — tied together
  4. spell — letters
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. spell — magic
  9. charge — in control
  10. face — to point toward
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bound — certain
  13. spell — a short time
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. face — to confront
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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