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

Word bank: file · spell · wave · cap · bear · firm · charge · court

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. spell — letters
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cap — of ice
  6. charge — electricity
  7. firm — steady
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. court — of a king
  12. spell — a short time
  13. file — a tool
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. cap — a lid
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — a price
  22. spell — magic
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — in control

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