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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: spell · charge · stand · fan · jam · ball · bat · hide

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spell — magic
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. charge — in control
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — a price
  19. spell — letters
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stand — to bear
  24. charge — electricity

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