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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: bark · spell · charge · cap · jam · club · wave · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. spell — magic
  5. cap — a lid
  6. club — for golf
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. charge — electricity
  9. spell — letters
  10. bark — to shout
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mate — a friend
  13. spell — a short time
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. club — a group
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. charge — in control
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. cap — a hat
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — a price

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