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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: wound · spell · sharp · bay · stand · charge · key · prune

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. key — in music
  8. spell — letters
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spell — magic
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. charge — in control
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wound — an injury
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. sharp — clever

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