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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 · clip · temple · swing · bulb · charge · bore · craft

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — music
  7. bore — to drill
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — letters
  13. clip — a video
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — to play on
  16. craft — boats
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — to cut
  22. spell — magic
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — a price

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