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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 · spell · cue · craft · root · bear · chest · ball

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. chest — a box
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a great time
  5. charge — electricity
  6. craft — boats
  7. cue — a signal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. spell — letters
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. root — of a plant
  14. spell — a short time
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. spell — magic
  23. charge — a price
  24. craft — a handicraft

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