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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
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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 · rush · bass · fine · trunk · spell · charge · cap

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. spell — letters
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bass — low music
  6. fine — all right
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bass — the fish
  14. charge — electricity
  15. spell — magic
  16. cap — of ice
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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