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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: spell · field · dip · charge · nail · jam · game · stem

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — in control
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. dip — to sink
  6. spell — a short time
  7. field — for sport
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. game — a match
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. field — farmland
  13. stem — to come from
  14. game — wild animals
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. charge — electricity
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. field — a subject
  20. charge — a price
  21. spell — magic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — letters

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