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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: dip · nail · clip · spell · charge · hide · ruler · object

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. charge — electricity
  6. object — an aim
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. clip — a video
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — a short time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. charge — in control
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — to cut
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — letters
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. clip — for paper
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ruler — for measuring

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