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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · spell · chair · calf · charge · dip · present · fan

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spell — magic
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. present — there
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spell — letters
  12. present — the time now
  13. spell — a short time
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. charge — a price
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. present — a gift
  24. rest — a break

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