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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: spell · cell · land · board · sharp · fork · fan · charge

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cell — a phone
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. land — to come down
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. land — a country
  16. spell — magic
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. land — ground
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — a price
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. board — a committee

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