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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.

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: spell · bark · squash · safe · charge · bulb · field · can

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. spell — letters
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — in control
  11. field — a subject
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — a price
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spell — magic
  20. squash — the sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. field — farmland
  24. can — a tin

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