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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: wake · charge · cabinet · wound · bay · prune · spell · bowl

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. spell — letters
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. prune — to trim
  13. spell — magic
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. charge — a price
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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