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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.

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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: charge · bat · toast · root · saw · ball · fine · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. ball — a great time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — a price
  11. root — of a word
  12. fine — all right
  13. bat — the animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. spell — letters
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. toast — bread
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. spell — magic
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. saw — the tool

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