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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: spell · deal · bear · mate · safe · prune · snap · charge

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mate — a partner
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. prune — to trim
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mate — to breed
  17. snap — to click
  18. mate — a friend
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. charge — in control
  22. spell — a short time
  23. deal — to handle
  24. prune — to trim

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