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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: charge · spring · rest · spell · bulb · net · pass · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. net — after costs
  6. charge — in control
  7. spring — the season
  8. charge — a price
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rest — what's left
  16. spring — of water
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rest — a break
  20. net — for catching
  21. spell — letters
  22. net — in sport
  23. pass — to spend time
  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