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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
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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 · pop · ruler · charge · land · pit · stand · object

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stand — to bear
  4. spell — a short time
  5. charge — in control
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. land — a country
  9. pit — in a race
  10. spell — letters
  11. land — to come down
  12. object — an aim
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — a price
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. object — to protest
  22. pop — music
  23. spell — magic
  24. object — a thing

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