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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: can · pass · prune · toast · charge · bat · spell · jam

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. can — a tin
  3. pass — a permit
  4. charge — a price
  5. can — a tin
  6. prune — to trim
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. charge — in control
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. spell — magic
  12. prune — to trim
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. spell — a short time
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bat — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. prune — the fruit

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