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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 · charge · suit · craft · cell · face · key · wake

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. spell — a short time
  4. craft — boats
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — a phone
  7. face — part of the head
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — in control
  10. wake — a trail
  11. cell — in biology
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — the most important part
  15. face — to point toward
  16. key — in music
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. charge — a price
  22. spell — magic
  23. face — to confront
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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