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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 120 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
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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: bay · cabinet · tube · perch · charge · spell · sharp · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tube — a container
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. spell — magic
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. charge — in control
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — a short time
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. charge — a price
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. spell — letters
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cabinet — ministers

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