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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: spell · wake · ball · jam · bank · charge · mine · arm

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. charge — in control
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mine — for digging
  11. charge — a price
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bank — for money
  21. spell — letters
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. spell — a short time

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