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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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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: stem · safe · charge · row · bulb · spell · mug · deal

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. charge — electricity
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. spell — letters
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — magic
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — a cup
  16. deal — to handle
  17. charge — in control
  18. row — a line
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mug — a face
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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