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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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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 · cell · charge · key · dip · suit · pound · spring

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. dip — to sink
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pound — a weight
  9. spring — of water
  10. charge — electricity
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. charge — a price
  15. key — the most important part
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. charge — in control
  18. key — for a lock
  19. spring — a coil
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spring — the season

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