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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: hide · charge · spring · spell · tube · season · prune · cap

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cap — a lid
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cap — a hat
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. tube — the underground
  14. charge — in control
  15. spring — the season
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spring — of water
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cap — of ice
  20. spring — a coil
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spell — a short time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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