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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: drill · ruler · charge · bear · date · spell · snap · dip

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — in control
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. spell — letters
  14. charge — electricity
  15. snap — to click
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. date — the fruit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spell — magic

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