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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 116 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: rest · spell · fan · hand · content · charge · sharp · can

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — clever
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. charge — in control
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — letters
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rest — a break
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. hand — help
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — a price

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