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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 116 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: nail · charge · rash · sharp · spell · suit · bound · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. sharp — clever
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rash — a series
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. charge — a price
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. spell — letters
  10. bound — tied together
  11. last — finally
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bound — certain
  16. suit — to fit
  17. charge — in control
  18. spell — magic
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. last — final
  23. spell — a short time
  24. sharp — with an edge

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