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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: charge · firm · club · arm · ball · tube · can · spell

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — a group
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. spell — letters
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. firm — decided
  9. club — for golf
  10. firm — steady
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — a short time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — a company
  15. tube — the underground
  16. club — for dancing
  17. tube — a container
  18. spell — magic
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ball — a dance
  23. charge — in control
  24. can — a tin

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