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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.

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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: hide · staff · bulb · craft · charge · spell · drill · fine

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. staff — employees
  4. craft — a skill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — a price
  7. fine — high quality
  8. drill — the tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. craft — boats
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — in control
  13. spell — magic
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. staff — employees
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — a stick
  22. drill — army training
  23. spell — a short time
  24. drill — a practice

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