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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · spring · can · spell · charge · bulb · mate · pass

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. spell — letters
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. mate — a partner
  6. can — a tin
  7. spring — of water
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spell — magic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spell — a short time
  17. mate — to breed
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. stem — to come from

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