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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: pass · cue · lean · chip · cabinet · charge · spring · spell

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. spring — the season
  3. cue — a hint
  4. spring — of water
  5. charge — a price
  6. spell — letters
  7. cue — a signal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. lean — thin
  17. cue — for pool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spell — magic
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. charge — in control
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. chip — in a computer

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